Report: Kings Considering Michael Porter Jr. With No. 2 Pick
Ryan Mayer
The Sacramento Kings hold the No. 2 overall pick in this month's NBA Draft, putting them in position for what could be a franchise changing player in what is being called one of the best draft classes we've ever seen. There have been several players rumored to be in the Kings sights for the pick and a new report has added one more name to that list. According to Sam Amick of USA Today, the team is considering Missouri freshman forward Michael Porter Jr. in addition to Real Madrid guard Luka Doncic and Duke freshman Marvin Bagley Jr.
Porter Jr. was considered the potential No. 1 overall pick prior to the start of last season before a back injury forced him to undergo surgery and miss nearly the entirety of Missouri's season. He did return for the team's SEC tournament game against Georgia and their first-round NCAA Tournament loss to Florida State averaging 10 points and six assists in his three games with the team. As Amick alluded to, Porter Jr. was supposed to workout in front of teams on Friday in Chicago, but that workout has been cancelled. Still, there's been plenty of buzz surrounding Porter Jr. in the last month as the draft draws nearer.
The report is interesting coming in the wake of ESPN's Jonathan Givony saying that the Kings aren't sold on Doncic's NBA abilities. Doncic, along with Ayton, has been consistently mentioned as being in play for the top pick in the draft. This could all be the typical smokescreens and obfuscation that comes with draft season, so take these rumors and reports with a grain of salt.
The 2018 NBA Draft gets underway on Thursday, June 21st at 7:00 p.m. Eastern time.
