Cavaliers: 2019-20 statistics predictions for guards currently on the roster
By Dan Gilinsky
2019-20 predictions for Porter: 7.4 PPG on 53.1% true shooting, 3.3 RPG, 17.4 MPG and 65 games active
Porter is a player that is really, really talented, as KJG contributors have discussed all the time, and even in the time leading up to the 2019 NBA Draft.
He is a tremendous athlete and should be able to score when he’s on the floor, but as KJG contributors have also mentioned in numerous instances, he’s probably going to take time to adjust to the NBA level, and his 9.5 points per game and only starting in four contests at USC while only appearing in 21 games (per Sports Reference) due to reported suspension and injury hurt his lone collegiate season, as our own Robbie DiPaola touched on.
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Porter is a player that should be able to fill it up in spurts off the bench for Beilein and his staff, though, as he’s shown the capability with his handle to get separation from defenders and I would think that as the year progresses, he’ll get more run and should have some rotational playmaking chances where he should be able to do damage in pick-and-roll, along with knock down shots from deep with attention drawn to a combination of teammates such as Sexton, Garland, Osman, Love and at times, Ante Zizic inside.
I agree with our own Tyler Marling as well, in that I see Porter as a player that the Cleveland Cavaliers will find has outstanding defensive potential as well which could enable him to establish himself as a wing stopper if he can stay locked in, and progress as an off-ball defender, which could allow him to get more transition opportunities where he’ll be a force.
Again, though, with the Cavs still having Clarkson in the fold, and I would think Dellavedova, to go with Sexton and Garland, I’d think it takes a while for Porter to really get big minutes. When he does, he should be a nice contributor, though (and is a good defensive rebounder), and there’s no doubt he has a high ceiling on both ends, particularly on-ball.
It’ll take time for the 19-year-old Porter, the 30th overall pick in this year’s draft, to make a bunch of impact, however, and nagging injuries could hamper him a bit, too, but he’ll definitely flash.