Page 3 was titled, Otto Porter and his Max Contract
So for full disclosure, I believed Porter was streaky at the time. Here’s what I wrote last May:
"There was a time this season, when he was the number one three-point shooter in the NBA. We all witnessed Porter light up Golden State when they came to the Verizon Center. But then there’s streaky Otto, who stopped attempting as many threes, and made even less. He disappeared in Boston when Washington needed him the most. Even though we’re not here to win friends and influence Ernie, team chemistry is still important. Porter fits in great with Washington, and I believe if he spends his offseason wisely, and becomes a consistent and reliable threat from deep, that the Wizards will do whatever they can to keep him. I don’t believe Porter is going anywhere, because there’s room for improvement, and Porter knows what areas he needs to develop. Porter should start about 70% of the games, and the Wizards should pick up another small forward who will start the remaining 30%. Porter will also help Washington’s weak bench. If the Wizards want to win, they must pick up another starting small forward."
Porter did improve in the offseason. Only thing preventing him from being a reliable threat from deep was his health.
There were many games that he was not only the best player on the Wizards, but the best player on the floor.
Once the season started, he was lighting up teams left and right. But at some point, he was playing injured.
Also, he should have been the one with the ball in his hands to close out tight games. My motto is “whoever is hot should get the last shot”.
I believe that whatever Porter needs to do to become 90 percent healthy, he should do.
No more with the Porter is “100 percent” line. He was slow and in pain running up and down the court this season.
If he’s not at full capacity, then instead of going to the bike during games, Porter should be able to sit out certain games.
A lot of people disagreed with Wall stating, that he ‘needs weapons around me’. He is right.
When Kyrie Irving was last in Washington, he didn’t start lighting up the Wizards until the fourth quarter. He had knee problems as well at the time.
For those who follow the Boston papers, there’s a funny story there when someone tried to question his health.
Irving gave the medical and legally correct answer. It’s rather funny, but you can look it up, this article is long enough as it is.
The point is Irving was able to sit back and let the rest of his team do the work for the first three-quarters, then come out in the fourth as if he was fully rested. Irving knew the weapons he had around him.
Similarly other elite guards in the league also don’t have to be in turbo mode the entire game. Wall doesn’t have that luxury.
Porter is a weapon. But not everyone knew that he wasn’t at full capacity. The Wizards played Toronto with half a team.
Between Porter playing injured, Bradley Beal’s minutes, Kelly Oubre’s inconsistency and Gortat, the Wizards were short-staffed against a stacked team.
Porter is not only a max player, but at the start of the season, I believed he was an All-Star in the making. I still believe it.
Either Oubre becomes disciplined, which he can do. Or the Wizards will have to look for another small forward for backup not named Satoransky.
Porter’s health has to be managed throughout the season, so it’s not shut down in the postseason.
Therefore, if Porter’s health is carefully maintained and Oubre steps up in a consistent manner, then that position is set.