NBA Executives: Michael Porter Jr. Should Return from Injury If Healthy

Missouri forward Michael Porter Jr. has played only two minutes in his freshman season because of a back injury, and NBA scouts want to see him on the court.

Porter was cleared to return to basketball activities last week, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports, but now the question is whether he will play.

"It depends how he looks in practice," an NBA general manager told Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com. "If he's the best player in practice two of three days in a row, then he should play."

Said another GM: "If he's healthy, he's not going to slide down too much even if he doesn't play well. Everyone's seen him. And if he plays well, I think he could move all the way up to the second spot in the draft."

Porter is listed as the No. 3 overall prospect in the 2018 NBA draft by B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, so he could rise if he returns to the court.

He was considered the No. 2 player in the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite ratings. When healthy, he is a matchup nightmare as a 6'10" wing with excellent handles and shooting ability.

The Missouri coaching staff, however, wants to make sure he doesn't rush back.

"I don't have a timeline," head coach Cuonzo Martin said Saturday, per Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com. "He wants to play. ... We have to make sure he's ready to go."

The Tigers were in good shape for an NCAA tournament bid, but three losses in a row have raised questions. They still have two regular-season games left (at Vanderbilt on Tuesday and vs. Arkansas on Saturday) in which Porter could showcase his talent and help his team plus any postseason contests, though it remains to be seen whether Porter will play—and if he does, how much.

While some NBA teams may be cautious about drafting players with injury histories, others have succeeded by taking risks. Joel Embiid finished his college career on the sideline because of back problems and didn't even play his first two seasons in the NBA, but he has since become an All-Star. Kyrie Irving played only 11 games at Duke because of a toe injury but became the first overall pick in 2011.

Porter has even less experience against college competition, but he might be worth the chance for some team even if he stays on the sideline.