Washington Wizards small forward Otto Porter (L) passes off San Antonio Spurs' Danny Green. (Photo : Getty Images)
The Washington Wizards are keen on allowing small forward Otto Porter to become a free agent next year as he is reportedly "unlikely" to receive a contract extension offer from the capital city squad this summer.
Porter, who turned 23 last month, is entering the final year of his four-year, $19.3 million rookie scale deal with the Wizards. If he will not be able to secure an extension in Washington this summer, then he will be a restricted free agent next July.
The 6-foot-8 starting wingman for last season's head coach Randy Wittman is set to "end up like Bradley Beal a year ago", CSN Mid-Atlantic indicated, "when he (Beal) didn't work out a deal with the Wizards still owning the first right of refusal to retain his services".
Washington eventually signed Beal to a five-year, $128 million maximum contract on Tuesday and if things work out well for Porter this coming season, he may be the next one to get a huge payday among the Wizards' young guns.
Porter, who was selected third overall during the 2013 NBA Draft by Washington, was outdone by his draft batch mate CJ McCollum, who recently agreed to a four-year, $106 million deal with the Portland Trail Blazers after a breakout season and winning the NBA's Most Improved Players award this year. McCollum was drafted 10th overall in 2013.
The report said that "Porter is not in position to command such a salary unless he can replicate" McCollum's evident improvement in 2015-2016 to the coming season. The Blazers shooting guard averaged 20.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.2 steals playing in 34.8 minutes per night in 80 games as a starter for head coach Terry Stotts last season.
Meanwhile, Porter averaged 11.6 points, 5.2 boards, 1.6 assists, and 1.4 steals in 30.3 minutes per game for Washington during the same period, all career-highs for the former Georgetown standout.
ESPN noted that although Porter has been promoted in the Wizards starting lineup last season, his development as a player "has been slow" as he tends to play inconsistently most of the time in both ends of the floor.
However, new Washington head coach Scott Brooks may help unleash his full potential. The Wizards are "thin" at the number three position with Porter and incoming sophomore Kelly Oubre as the only options for Brooks at small forward at the moment.
