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2019 Draft, Pick #30 - Kevin Porter Jr., USC

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The Cavs are a real mystery team because nobody has seen Porter and Garland play. They were held out of the summer league for precautionary reasons. I know they have been working out with the coaching staff. But since they're private, they are just a mystery
 
Put it in my veins, Juice.

If this kid lives up to his potential, he could be a franchise altering pick.

It could be a franchise altering draft. Garland becomes a Dame level PG, Porter becomes a fringe all star wing and Windler becomes a solid rotational shooter the level of Korver who learns to play defense through hustle, length and surprising decent athletic ability.

Get some young Bigs that can play too, maybe luck into a Euro stud and some defensive bigs and we are rebuilt in 3 or 4 years.
 
“Coaches were beyond ecstatic after his workout today. Continues to improve in weight room and on the court daily”.

I'm also told Porter has been showing an immense amount of newfound maturity since he signed on the dotted line. His diet is starting to really take off, he's trying hard to eat right as much as possible, he's an absolute physical specimen with a lot of molding still to come. He's also slightly altered his release to the shooting coaches liking in a matter of months. He's going to get real playing time, I'm almost sure of it. Beilein may have been his biggest initial skeptic and is currently feeling extremely optimistic about the kid.
 
I'm also told Porter has been showing an immense amount of newfound maturity since he signed on the dotted line. His diet is starting to really take off, he's trying hard to eat right as much as possible, he's an absolute physical specimen with a lot of molding still to come. He's also slightly altered his release to the shooting coaches liking in a matter of months. He's going to get real playing time, I'm almost sure of it. Beilein may have been his biggest initial skeptic and is currently feeling extremely optimistic about the kid.

Porter has an absolute elite first step. That coupled with his ball handling and athleticism could turn out to be special. I can't really tell with him though because I have not followed him much and he is still a gamble all things considered, but again, a pretty damn good gamble.

I also don't really buy his mental issues. I don't think he is a headcase. There is a difference between someone with bad personality, poor work ethic, troublemaker to a guy that lacks direction, who's had tough childhood with his father passing away, etc. If the Cavs can provide him with good structure that provides good support system from the coaches down to the players then he will be good. People like him just need to find a place they feel like they belong. I think this team has very good personalities on it with very little ego. I think he will do very well within that group.
 
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Porter has an absolute elite first step. That coupled with his ball handling and athleticism could turn out to be special. I can't really tell with him though because I have not followed him much and he is still a gamble all things considered, but again, a pretty damn good gamble.

I also don't really buy his mental issues. I don't think he is a headcase. There is a difference between someone with bad personality, poor work ethic, troublemaker to a guy that lacks direction, who's had tough childhood with his father passing away, etc. If the Cavs can provide him with good structure that provides good support system from the coaches down to the players then he will be good. People like him just need to find a place they feel like they belong. I think this team has very good personalities on it with very little ego. I think he will do very well within that group.

This assessment jives almost perfectly with what I've heard since he's been under the Cavs thumb. He's not a bad kid, he just needs guidance and growth facilitated by understanding adults. I think the Cavs have the right people in that room for once.

I mean. he basically traveled by multiple greyhounds to Portland to showcase himself coming out of high school. He wasn't invited, wasn't on the team USA squad that was there for execs to look at, but he dedicated and made his way there and dominated and was forever on the Cavs radar since.
 
It could be a franchise altering draft. Garland becomes a Dame level PG, Porter becomes a fringe all star wing and Windler becomes a solid rotational shooter the level of Korver who learns to play defense through hustle, length and surprising decent athletic ability.

Get some young Bigs that can play too, maybe luck into a Euro stud and some defensive bigs and we are rebuilt in 3 or 4 years.

It would be all the difference in the world.

If Garland turns out to be an All-Star player, fantastic. But a great team 1 AS does not make (Love will be gone before his prime).

But imagine if Porter is that solid fringe AS guy. Maybe better. Two AS level type players, plus Sexton, plus Solid Cedi, with another high lotto pick coming next year (probably) puts the Cavs in a position to draft another All-Star talent to be a true contender. Plus some depth.

So yes, if either Windler or Porter is that guy, the Cavs really played their hand well and lucked out.
 
Absolutely loved him before the draft of his high potential and the coaching staff will help him excel. I really cannot wait to watch him play.
 
Absolutely loved him before the draft of his high potential and the coaching staff will help him excel. I really cannot wait to watch him play.

Me too. Hearing that the coaching staff wasn't very high on him, but that he is now turning heads is exactly what I wanted to hear. "Oh this kid has clearly been mismanaged" is what you want. Gotta put the right environment around this kid. He will blossom.

Really with the separation he can create, if he work on his playmaking, he can be really good. I believe he has above average vision. He can become very hard to stop if he is unselfish.
 
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Me too. Hearing that the coaching staff wasn't very high on him, but that he is now turning heads is exactly what I wanted to hear. "Oh this kid has clearly been mismanaged" is what you want. Gotta put the right environment around this kid. He will blossom.

Really with the separation he can create, if he work on his playmaking, he can be really good. I believe he has above average vision. He can become very hard to stop if he is unselfish.
imo he is already potentially just as good of a player as far as refined skillset as any team could hope to get out of a 1 and done player in the high lottery let alone end of the 1st.
My take is he is very headstrong
 
imo he is already potentially just as good of a player as far as refined skillset as any team could hope to get out of a 1 and done player in the high lottery let alone end of the 1st.
My take is he is very headstrong

Well the guys against him say he wasn't any good in college and there are hundreds of guys that put up similar or better numbers. I'm not convinced because on a per minute basis he was a very good scorer. His ft% is the most alarming thing I think.

All that is over. So now we have to rely on reports. So far he has won of Beilein and that is significant to me. If he is proving doubters on the coaching staff wrong and has really changed his body and diet, that is fantastic news.
 
Well the guys against him say he wasn't any good in college and there are hundreds of guys that put up similar or better numbers. I'm not convinced because on a per minute basis he was a very good scorer. His ft% is the most alarming thing I think.

All that is over. So now we have to rely on reports. So far he has won of Beilein and that is significant to me. If he is proving doubters on the coaching staff wrong and has really changed his body and diet, that is fantastic news.

As a brief rebuttal, I don't think 17.2 points per 40 minutes is "very good". Among first rounders, only Hayes (17.1), Okeke (16.5), Doumbouya (16.0), Jerome (16.0), Poole (15.4), and Thybulle (11.7) scored at a lower rate per-minute...that's not exactly elite company when it comes to pure scoring upside. After adjusting for pace, only Okeke, Doumbouya, Poole, and Thybulle were less prolific scorers. Make any kind of strength-of-schedule adjustments, and KPJ's scoring output looks even less impressive. I'm glad he seems to have taken some steps in the right direction since he played his last college game, but he needs to take many more to be among the top scorers in this class.
 

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