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Blazers' Micah Nori Hints at Unexpected Role for Overlooked Big Man
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- Blazers' Micah Nori Hints at Unexpected Role for Overlooked Big Man
(Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images)
Micah Potter didn't play a single minute in the Portland Trail Blazers' 128-120 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night.
But despite his limited opportunities to begin the season, head coach Micah Nori has already offered some encouraging insight into how the 28-year-old could eventually fit into Portland's plans.
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And it might involve more than simply backing up Donovan Clingan.
Per Joe Freeman of The Oregonian/OregonLive , Nori recently singled out Potter's preseason performance against the Golden State Warriors while discussing the team's new "Knockout Punch" award, which recognizes players who make winning contributions regardless of their playing time or scoring totals.
And Potter certainly made his presence felt against Golden State.
During Portland's October 7 preseason victory, the Wisconsin product finished with 13 points, six rebounds and an assist in just 13 minutes, shooting 4-for-6 from the field and 2-for-4 from beyond the arc.
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He didn't need an extended opportunity to make an impact ... and Nori apparently took notice.
But the encouraging comments haven't translated into consistent playing time.
Potter logged 12 minutes in Portland's 124-83 season-opening blowout of Phoenix, recording four points and three rebounds. He then watched Friday's victory over Sacramento from the sidelines.
And considering the competition in Portland's frontcourt, there's no guarantee those opportunities will become more frequent.
Clingan has established himself as the starting center, while Robert Williams III continues to provide valuable minutes off the bench.
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Williams finished Friday's victory with 13 points and six rebounds, shooting a perfect 6-for-6 from the field in just 18 minutes.
With Portland opening the season 2-0, Nori has little reason to disrupt that arrangement.
However, Potter brings something different to the equation.
During the 2025-26 campaign with the Indiana Pacers, he averaged 9.7 points and five rebounds across 47 appearances while shooting an impressive 42.3% from three-point range.
That outside shooting could prove valuable alongside Ja Morant and Damian Lillard, especially when opposing defenses attempt to clog the paint.
And Nori has already acknowledged that Potter's versatility could open additional possibilities.
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During training camp, the first-year head coach explained that he could envision both Potter and Branden Carlson contributing at power forward and center.
That's an important distinction.
Potter doesn't necessarily have to take minutes directly away from Clingan or Williams to carve out a role. If Portland needs additional shooting or a different frontcourt combination, Nori has another option available.
Of course, finding those minutes presents a challenge of its own.
Nori reportedly intends to utilize a 10-man rotation, with Potter competing against Carlson and Vít Krejčí for opportunities near the end of the bench.
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And while his offensive versatility is appealing, Potter will still need to demonstrate that he can contribute defensively without disrupting the team's identity.
That's what makes his situation worth monitoring.
The Blazers have little reason to make significant changes following their encouraging start, and Potter hasn't done enough in the regular season to demand a bigger role.
But he has demonstrated that he can produce when given an opportunity — and his shooting provides a dimension that Portland's traditional center rotation doesn't consistently offer.
Potter's path to meaningful minutes won't come from simply waiting for Clingan or Williams to leave the floor. It'll come from making his shooting too valuable to ignore.
Nori already sees what he brings to the table.
Now Potter has to give his coach a reason to use it ... and with 80 games remaining, there should be plenty of opportunities to make that case.
