Craig Porter Jr. says his ankle injury still bothers him

Porter sprained his ankle at the end of the regular season.

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Craig Porter Jr. revealed that the ankle he twisted back in April is still causing him discomfort. Though, he fully plans to compete in the 2024 Las Vegas Summer League.

“It’s gotten a lot better, I’m probably about 85-90% right now,” Porter told reporters. “It will be achy and a little sore after I play... probably for the next month, I would imagine.”

Porter sprained his ankle following an awkward landing in the Cavaliers' final game of the regular season. He missed the entirety of the NBA Playoffs — bringing an end to an otherwise successful rookie season.

Going undrafted, Porter was a breakout star of last year’s Summer League games. He impressed from the start with 22 points in his debut — going on to average 12 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists down the stretch as Cleveland won the Summer League championship.

Porter continued to shine once brought up to the NBA level, earning a standard contract before the All-Star break. His athleticism and natural feel for the game make Porter a strong candidate to be a backup point guard at this level for years to come.

Room for growth remains. Porter shot just 12-34 (35.3%) from the three-point line in his rookie season and ran into trouble offensively once opponents realized his limitations as a shooter. This will be an x-factor to watch in Porter’s development.

Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like his ankle will hold him back much in Las Vegas, “It really feels 100%, it’s just the achiness [after playing],” Porter said. This means we will get another opportunity to see what Porter is capable of.