Free agent Porter a no-brainer target for B’klyn
The Nets are bereft of draft picks, so their best hope for getting out of the Grand Canyon-sized hole into which they have put themselves into is to get lucky in free agency. The Wizards’ restricted free agent-to-be Otto Porter Jr. reminded them in Washington’s 114-110 overtime win Wednesday why landing him would be as lucky as finding a winning lottery ticket.
“We wouldn’t have won it [without Porter],’’ Wizards guard Bradley Beal said. “They were the aggressors, they were playing harder. Otto definitely saved us.”
The feeling in Washington, and around the league, is Porter likely will be at the top of the Nets’ wish list. Wednesday, the small forward had 20 points, 10 rebounds and made clutch play after clutch play to help the Wizards hold off the Nets.
“I just try to do whatever it takes,” Porter said. “I pretty much saw some of the rebounds. I knew I could get to a couple of them because everybody was ball-watching. I do what I do best, and that is rebound.”
Porter helped tap the ball away from Randy Foye with 24.8 seconds left in overtime and Beal grabbed it for a clutch offensive rebound. Beal sealed the game at the line, putting Washington up 113-109.
In addition to his rebounding, the way the 23-year-old Porter has shot from deep all season, he would be a perfect fit in Brooklyn.
“He’s really one of the top small forwards in the league,’’ Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said.
Porter, who totaled just 78 points as a rookie and averaged 6.0 points per game in a sophomore season that saw him tabbed a bust, is now leading the NBA in 3-point shooting (.467) and offensive efficiency (129.3), and could be playing himself into a maximum contract.
“I didn’t understand how good of a shooter he was just coaching against him, but he’s a knock-down shooter,’’ said Wizards coach Scott Brooks, in his first year in Washington after coaching the Thunder from 2008-15. “When he misses you’re surprised.” That’s due to hard work. “He’s one of my favorite players. ... He’s so efficient with how he positions himself, it leads to long rebounds, leads to steals, leads to being in the right spot defensively before the guy even makes his move,’’ veteran scout Scott McGuire told The Post. “Everything he does makes sense as far as movement. … Offensively he’s in constant motion. I love the guy.
“I don’t know if he takes a bad shot ever. … Depending on what Washington [does)] you’ve got to try and get him.”
The Nets have the money and the need. They are slated to have $25 million in cap room, and could raise that to $39.4 million by renouncing Foye, Luis Scola and Bojan Bogdanovic.
Many feel Porter could garner a max deal, which could be tough for the Wizards to match. They have $97 million on the books for next season, not including the salaries of Porter or Trey Burke. Would owner Ted Leonsis — a hard-liner in past negotiations — be willing to have Beal, Porter and John Wall all on max deals? The Nets should hope the answer is no.