Michael Porter Jr. May Miss Summer League After A Reported Knee Sprain

Basketball fans are still waiting to see what Michael Porter Jr. can do against NBA-level competition. Porter’s health issues are well-documented, and while the Denver Nuggets have decided to take a cautious approach with the former No. 1 recruit in America, the belief was that Porter would finally get the opportunity to take the floor during this summer’s Las Vegas Summer League.

However, according to a report by Mike Singer of the Denver Post, the franchise may decide to keep the No. 14 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft off the floor during the summer. Singer brings word that Porter suffered a left knee sprain during a scrimmage, and while it is not expected to be a major problem, the team may rest him as a precautionary measure.

It’s not expected to be a long-term issue, and the Nuggets see no need to rush him back to the court. Porter Jr. has looked excellent over the last few weeks as the Nuggets have conducted 5-on-5 scrimmages, and buzz had been mounting about his professional debut.

The report was confirmed by Nick Kosmider of The Athletic.

Porter struggled with a back injury while at the University of Missouri, which required surgery and limited him to three games during his only year in Columbia. Thanks in part to a second back surgery, the Nuggets decided to let Porter essentially redshirt his rookie season so he could work his way back to 100 percent health.

While any injury to Porter will, invariably, cause some alarm bells to go off, it is good to know that holding him out is a precaution. Porter being a reliable perimeter scorer could make an already excellent Nuggets team even more dangerous, so hopefully, this is merely a bump in the road and we’ll get to see him at full go once the regular season begins.