It is not often that, with nearly two months into the season, we find ourselves with the opportunity to acquire a player with top 30 potential but here we are, as the 2020/21 season has been full of surprises.
I am hoping you took the advice from last week’s column and invested in some Ricky Rubio stock. With the news of D’ Angelo Russell being shelved for the next 4 to 6 weeks to get rid of some loose bodies (sounds like a nightclub) in his knee, Rubio becomes the starting point guard moving forward and was already beginning to show signs of life.
Classic Rubio. Waiting for the second half of the season yet again to show he knows how to play basketball.
Enough about the woeful Wolves, let us move on towards our next gemstone with hopes that a trade in your league can be completed as quickly and easily as simply snapping of the fingers.
Michael Porter Jr.
People, I need you to listen up and listen up good.
Go and get you some MPJ if he is not already on your roster and, for those who currently have him rostered and are growing increasingly frustrated by the day please, hold tight. I had another player in mind for this week’s entry but I am of the belief that any given day now could be the last opportunity for MPJ to qualify.
My dear readers, I want to be clear that I am not thoroughly convinced that we are going to witness MPJ take the leap we anticipated this season. However, that does not mean his ceiling is not sky high. It simply means you may have to temper expectations for this season. The reason being, a young stud muffin by the name of Nikola Jokic is having an MVP caliber season and has shown zero signs of slowing down from his torrid pace. The Joker is options 1 through 5 on most nights and everyone else just has to get in where they fit in.
After a hot start to the season, it has not been a wonderful world for the third-year wing. Over the past week, MPJ has gone 16 for 42 from the field (38%) with a paltry 10.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists. On the bright side, his defensive stats are gold with .8 steals and 1.8 blocks over that same span.
The worry for some GMs out there will be the fact that Porter Jr. has not been able to get it going despite absences from Gary Harris (hip/ adductor) and more recently Will Barton (personal). The minutes have not been an issue, though, hovering around 27 per night but the touches are a little light, sitting at around 10 per game over the past week.
Mase and Puffy said it best: “Can’t nobody take my pride, can’t nobody hold me down. Oh no, I got to keep on movin.”
MPJ is not going away and that is why you make a play for him. His poor play since returning from a positive Covid test is your opportunity to secure a player with early-round upside who is currently sitting far outside of the top 100.
As I mentioned, he may not rocket to stardom this season in Denver but there is also a decent chance that the Nuggets make a play for another stud (paging Bradley Beal) to form a trio alongside Jamal Murray and Jokic. Should that happen, you can bet your bottom dollar that the sun will come out tomorrow and MPJ will be basking in it on his new team putting up gaudy numbers.
So, get your offers out there my friends. I can see a deal whereby you send out a top 80 player in redraft leagues and possibly a little more in a keeper league. Either way, you will be rewarded as this young, up and comer possesses the talent to be a top-tier wing and this opportunity may not come around again.
As always, hit me up in the comments section, and good luck out there.
Peace.
