NBA: Regrading every first round pick from the 2018 NBA Draft

NBA: Re-grading every first round pick from the 2018 NBA Draft

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: NBA Commissioner Adam Silver (C) poses with NBA Draft Prospects Trae Young, Marvin Bagley III, Deandre Ayton and Luka Doncic before the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images) /

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NBA draft (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) /

2018 NBA draft: Re-grading Pick Number 14. Michael Porter Jr.: A+

This has obviously worked out perfectly for the Denver Nuggets, as Michael Porter Jr. has mostly overcome his health concerns and is blossoming into a future All-Star in front of our eyes. The loss of all of the teams ahead of them in the draft is the Nuggets gain, getting the chance to add a player of his caliber in a season they barely missed out on the postseason. This is the type of swing of fortune that changes the direction of a franchise’s destiny.

With regards to the medical information, many executives indicated that it was the worst set of medical records they had ever seen. Porter was one of the top players in his high school class before dealing with back injuries in college. He missed the entirety of his rookie season, so the sample size is admittedly small. That being said, it is still clear he should have gone much higher.

The bubble was his coming-out party and when Jamal Murray went out of the lineup this season Porter proved that was a mirage. In the 17 regular-season games following the injury, Porter averaged 23.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. In front of fans’ eyes, Porter showed that he can be a primary scoring threat on a team that had the league MVP in tow.

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