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Utah Jazz forward Otto Porter Jr. surprised the basketball community by announcing his retirement on Monday after being waived on Sunday. The 11-year veteran never played for Utah after being traded from the Toronto Raptors during the trade deadline in February.
Porter, 30, wasn't an NBA star, although he was a lottery pick in 2013 when the Washington Wizards selected him with the third pick. He didn't pan out to be a star with any team, but he offered quite a lot on the table.
Porter, 6-foot-9, was a reliable three-and-D forward. He released a statement regarding his retirement, via the Utah Jazz social media account. In his statement, he revealed the reason for his decision to retire and move on to a different chapter of his life.
"For the past 11 years, I had the chance to live my lifelong dream of playing in the NBA," Porter said. "That dream was capped by winning an NBA Championship! Unfortunately, my body is not allowing me to play at the level that I expect of myself, and I have therefore decided to retire."
During the 2022-23 season, he left the Golden State Warriors and joined the Raptors. He only played eight games as he underwent a season-ending surgery on his left foot. Porter suffered a dislocated toe, and his numbers declined. The forward averaged 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds during the eight-game stretch.
For this season, Porter suited up for Toronto for only 15 games. He suffered various injuries to the lower body, preventing him from making any progress in regards to his health. The forward averaged 2.6 ppg and 1.9 rpg.
Also read: Toronto Raptors Injury Report (Jan. 9): Latest on Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Trent Jr.'s availability
How good was Otto Porter Jr.?
Otto Porter Jr. was never an NBA star after being the 2013 Big East Player of the Year and an All-American at Georgetown.
When he was drafted by the Wizards, many expected him to be the third piece who could help John Wall and Bradley Beal in their bid to win the title. With the Wizards, his best statistical season came in 2017-18, which was the season before the organization traded him. Porter averaged 14.7 ppg, 6.4 rpg and 2.0 apg.
His second team was the Chicago Bulls. But he only stayed there for less than three seasons. Porter was traded to the Orlando Magic, but he only played for three games before moving on to the Golden State Warriors.
His lone season with the Warriors was the best of his career, as he helped the team win the 2022 NBA title. The organization moved on from him as he signed a new deal to play for the Raptors.
Overall, the former lottery pick had a decent career as a role player. Although he wasn't able to live up to the expectations set for him, Otto Porter Jr. still contributed in his way.
Also read: Washington Wizards trade Otto Porter Jr to Bulls for Bobby Portis & Jabari Parker
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