Kevin Porter Jr. Would Be An Ideal Backup Point Guard For The LA Clippers
Porter's on-court abilities would improve the Clippers' bench unit
The Los Angeles Clippers had a summer full of departures and roster adjustments. However, the job might not be complete yet. With Russell Westbrook now signed to the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles needs to decide who will be the backup point guard for James Harden.
As of right now, Bones Hyland, Kris Dunn, and Kevin Porter Jr. are the only primary point guards remaining on the Clippers’ roster. Despite his off-the-court controversies, Porter could be their best option in regards to a backup point guard.
Porter spent the first two years in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Houston Rockets. During those years, he played the small forward and shooting guard positions, respectively. However, after the Rockets traded Harden to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, Porter was given the starting point guard position.
While occupying the point guard role, Porter performed exceptionally well. Throughout those two seasons, he turned in combined averages of 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.3 steals. Along with those impressive numbers, he recorded a total of 19 double-doubles and two triple-doubles. He even showed that he can be a dependable 3-point shooter, as he shot 37.9% from that area.
Despite the fact that he proved to be a great playmaker, Porter had a habit of committing turnovers. During his last two seasons in Houston, he committed an average of 3.2 turnovers, including a total of nine in the first game of the 2021-22 season.
Though the Clippers have decent reserve point guards, Porter’s ability to both playmake and score would be valuable for this Clippers team.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to Fansided’s Wiz of Awes. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson