Michael Porter Jr. is the biggest wild card of the 2018 NBA draft, and the Cleveland Cavaliers have their eyes on the Missouri forward.
According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs are likely to snatch Porter if he’s available at No. 8 overall.
The intelligence comes with a caveat, since Cleveland may be shopping that first-round pick in hopes of acquiring a superstar. At this point, the front office is doing everything possible to keep LeBron James in town.
Should the Cavs still hold their selection, Porter would be a deserving choice. After all, he was one of the prized prospects in the 2017 recruiting class, and Isaiah Thomas recently called Porter the best player in the draft. However, he doesn’t come without risk.
Porter missed most of the 2017-18 campaign due to a back injury, and his pre-draft process has included a couple of setbacks because of health issues.
But if Cleveland thinks his injuries aren’t a long-term problem, he offers the potential of being a franchise cornerstone. Considering the Cavs might lose LeBron anyway, Porter makes plenty of sense if no other team selects him before No. 8.