So far this season, the Toronto Raptors' results have not improved, and if the team wants to make changes, they can only restructure the roster. Raptors management has now begun to experiment with trade possibilities, but one of the existing players is difficult to send away. It's not because he's indispensable to the team, it's because he really doesn't have much trade value, and that person is Otto Potter.
Since the start of the season, Porter has played a total of 11 games for the Raptors, averaging 11.8 minutes per game, contributing 2.5 points and 2.3 rebounds, except for a 36.8% three-point shooting rate. The Raptors' current results are not without hope, and the team's rotation depth is enough, but Porter's performance did not provide much help for the Raptors, and even at some moments, Porter became the one who dragged the Raptors down.
When Potter first entered the league, he was in a much better position than he is now. At that time, Porter came to the Wizards as a scout and was seen as a representative of a new generation of 3-and-D players. The Wizards value Porter very much, seeing him as the best helper next to Wall and Beal, and then gave him a big contract of 4 years and 106 million US dollars, which is enough to show how much attention is paid to him. Although Porter's performance has declined since then and he was sent away by the Wizards, his performance has still been recognized by multiple teams.
In order to further improve the team's strength, the Golden State Warriors signed Porter before the start of the 2021-22 season, and Porter became an important member of the Warriors' rotation. As Porter's performance stabilized, he even became the Warriors' starter for a time, moving into the core rotation of small-ball tactics. During the playoffs, Porter took on the responsibility of defending the opposing arrowhead and eventually helped the Warriors win the championship.
Porter's outstanding performance with the Warriors has been recognized by several teams, and the Raptors quickly signed him to a two-year, $12.4 million contract, intending to use him as an important rotation for the forward. However, after only eight games, Porter suffered a dislocated toe and was eventually declared out for the season after undergoing surgery, leaving only 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. If you count the salary of a game alone, then Porter's salary is already higher than that of James, Curry and other big-name stars.
It's not that the Raptors don't want to send Porter away, it's just that he really doesn't have trade value. Porter hasn't been able to address his injuries since entering the NBA, especially in the last four seasons, where he has played just 113 games, with the highest number of appearances coming in 63 games in his season with the Warriors. It was this low attendance that made Potter worried about his future, so he chose to exercise his player option in the offseason.
Although Porter can now guarantee a certain amount of attendance, he is no longer able to contribute to the Raptors, and the Raptors can only pray that time will pass quickly and that they can get rid of this "dog skin plaster" when Porter's contract expires. It's just that for Potter, if he can't play a consistent performance in the next game, then he is likely to face the embarrassing situation of not having the ball to play.