7 G-League players that could help Portland make a playoff push

Jontay Porter, Wisconsin Herd

It’s rare to find a G-League player whose rights aren’t owed to a team, who still has a bunch of upside, and could also contribute to winning basketball today, but it’s also rare to find a G-League player who has NBA pedigree.

That’s the case for Jontay Porter, who has one brother starting for the best team in the West and another who is getting some subtle draft buzz. Porter is the odd man out due to a few ACL injuries, but now that he’s healthy, he’s been an impact player in the G-League on both ends of the floor.

Porter’s a tall, fluid player who uses his size and athletic ability in perfect concert. He’s a good mover on both ends, has good touch, and has developed his defensive instincts to the point that he can deter players at the rim or make them pay for testing his prowess.

Taking a flier on Porter would always carry an inherent risk due to his past health problems, but the Blazers would both be getting a player who can play minutes at center in the NBA and one who could improve with NBA conditioning and off-season programming.

That’s a rare combination to find in the G-League and is one that the Blazers would be remiss to miss out on.