Shooting woes and a hamstring injury characterized former Hoya Otto Porter’s first taste of NBA action as the Washington Wizards competed last week in the Las Vegas Summer League.
Porter, selected third overall by the Wizards in last month’s draft, began sharply in his first game against the Warriors, draining his first two shots. But he would struggle after that, finishing the game just 3-13 from the floor in Washington’s 56-52 loss.
Don’t hit the panic button just yet.
Although he played small forward during his time on the Hilltop, the 6-foot-9 Porter started his first Summer League game at shooting guard, where he had been spending some time in practice. According to Wizards assistant Sam Cassell, the team will move Porter around throughout the year to experiment with his skillset and exploit his offensive versatility.
“I’m going to have him playing shooting guard, small forward, he’s going to bring the ball up the court, sometimes,” Cassel told the Washington Post. “We’re trying to figure out the things he can do in our offense. That’s why I started him at the two guard.”
The Wizards kept Porter at shooting guard for their second game against the New York Knicks, and he again got off to a quick start, with eight points in the first half. In the final two quarters, however, he again faded on the offensive end, going 0-for-5 from the field.
With the highest draft pick in Vegas failing to produce, the Knicks were able to coast to a 82-69 win.
Porter left the Wizards’ third game against the Denver Nuggets after six minutes due to tightening in his right hamstring. He would sit out the team’s final two games as a precautionary measure.