The diamond in the rough on this list is the former Mizzou Tigers transcendent talent and No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school, 21-year-old Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. Since Porter Jr. had a slew of injury problems during his one season with the Mizzou basketball program, the Nuggets got him for a steal back in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
That idea a few years back of every team landing their own “unicorn” of sorts really fits the bill for what Porter Jr. brings to the table. While the Chicago Bulls did land one of those unicorn type players in the 2017 NBA Draft with third-year power forward Lauri Markkanen, it’s hard to imagine that they wouldn’t want a healthy and productive MPJ in the mix too.
The problem for the Bulls if MPJ is healthy and productive this season is the large price tag he would come with. But if he still has injury struggles and the Nuggets are willing to part ways with him for a bargain, then this could be a deal worth pursuing. MPJ is still a generational type talent whenever he’s not dealing with injury issues.
When MPJ played for the Nuggets during the preseason, he looked really good. He is the type of player that can average 20 points per game, 8-10 rebounds, and 4-5 assists. That will require his body holding up through a full 82-game season for him to get that full level of recognition, though.