Chicago Bulls will need to move up for Michael Porter Jr.

There have been a couple of interesting reports about Michael Porter Jr. the last couple of days. The problem is they don’t go well together. What does it mean for the Chicago Bulls?

Michael Porter Jr. entered college basketball as a sure-fire “one and done” player and likely top-five pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Porter suffered a lower back injury in the very first game and missed the majority of the season. He only appeared in three contests for the University of Missouri before declaring for the draft. Since that time he has been on the Chicago Bulls’ radar.

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As a result, peoples’ opinions of Porter seem to be split. In camp one are those who still believe he is one of, if not, the most talented player in the draft. This camp eschews concerns over his back injury and wants their team to aggressively pursue him. People in camp two agree he’s extremely talented, but his health makes him not worth the risk of selecting in the top five.

Interestingly, over the last couple of days, two separate reports have come out that place that debate squarely in the crosshairs of social media. First, there was a report that Michael Porter Jr. is being selective with whom he discloses his medical records. Withholding medical information during the draft process is nothing new. Kris Dunn did the same thing with the Boston Celtics. A player can use it as a way to steer clear of teams with whom the player doesn’t believe he fits.

What Porter is doing is quite different. He is allowing himself to be examined by the Chicago Bulls medical staff and agreeing to provide that report only to other teams. This means no other team will be able to conduct a review of the medical records or an independent examination. Teams choosing to select him in the top five would be taking a huge risk, relying solely on the Bulls medical staff’s conclusions.

Yet just this morning, Vincent Goodwill of NBCSportsChicago made a very interesting comment on the “On the Bulls Talk Podcast.” He reported that someone informed the Chicago Bulls that if they want to draft Porter they will have to trade up to get him. The implication is there is at least one team in front of them that are expected to take him.

Now, I am firmly in the “take all pre-draft reports with a grain of salt” camp. I have no information to either believe or question that statement. Yet, I do know this type of gamesmanship is very common before the draft. In fact, agents would be negligent if they didn’t do everything they could to improve their client’s draft position. An agent could easily embellish a team’s interest in Porter.

The question for the Bulls is whether they are willing to move up to draft him. They would be making a huge investment in both draft capital and money to the player. Therefore, they better be absolutely sure in their assessment. In that regard, the Bulls should not do so until they feel Porter has addressed all of their medical concerns. This means disclosing his medical records.

Next: 3 reasons Bulls should draft a point guard

Bottom Line

The Bulls have an opportunity to add two quality players in the first round. In doing so, they could fill two immediate needs. If they have no concerns about his health and feel the disparity between he and who they could get at No. 7 is too great, then maybe they pull the trigger. But they better be sure.