8. Michael Porter Jr., Denver Nuggets
Stats: 19 PPG, 7.3 RPG
It may be a bit controversial, but I believe that Michael Porter Jr. is going to have a huge season this year. There’s a strong chance that he could jump into the top 5 of small forwards – he’s that talented on the offensive end and as an overall athlete.
If he were on a team that needed a strong No. 1 or 2, there’s a case to be made that Porter would be ranked higher – and more productive. Where Porter really needs to improve is on the defensive end. If he were better on that end of the floor, he’d probably be ranked higher as well.
If he continues to progress at this rate, Porter should be a 20-plus point per game scorer next season. The sky is the limit for Porter and he’s in a good place with the Denver Nuggets. The next step for him is superstardom.