Minnesota Timberwolves: 5 options for pick No. 11 in 2019 NBA Draft
4. Kevin Porter Jr.
Kevin Porter Jr. brings a lot to the table as an NBA player, with good athleticism and speed. He could go as high as the No. 5 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but there are some red flags that could see him fall all the way to the end of the lottery and beyond.
Porter was suspended by the University of Southern California for conduct issues, signaling problems with his maturity. On-the-court he struggles to make plays for others, as he averaged 1.9 turnovers to 1.4 assists. He also shot 52.1 percent from the free-throw line, which is low for a guard who models his game after the free-throw machine known as James Harden.
USC PG Kevin Porter Jr.: "Once (teams) get to know me, they’ll see I’m not really a floater. A lot of people say I’m one of the most talented in the draft but I have a lot of red flags in my character. I’ve just been working on that and trying to prove that they can trust in me.”
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) May 16, 2019
To be fair, Porter turned 19-years-old this month. He even discussed his maturity and growth during the interviews at the NBA Combine and has impressed teams thus far. He can improve his decision-making and free-throw shooting as he grows and still has many positives to his game.
Porter averaged 9.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in just 22.1 minutes per game. He is a skilled 3-point shooter, shooting 41.2 percent from 3-point range, and can hit a step-back jumper like Harden. He can score from anywhere has the potential to eventually become a high-volume scorer in the NBA.
Minnesota ranked 11th in offensive rating last season, and adding Porter could help push them to the next level. Not many star free agents are rushing to sign with Minnesota, so drafting the former USC Trojan is a must-make move for the T-Wolves if he’s available.