Michael Porter Jr. opened up about his bond with Nikola Jokic and the inside story behind his trade from Denver to Brooklyn this offseason.
Porter Jr. was drafted 14th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and missed his rookie season as he recovered from injury. He then logged six seasons with the Denver Nuggets, a stretch that featured growth, frustration and a title run.
Across that time he averaged 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, shooting 50 percent from the floor and 40 percent from three-point range. Those numbers helped cement his reputation as a floor-spacing scorer and a valuable offensive option.
He played a clear role in Denver’s 2023 championship campaign, providing scoring bursts and spacing that complemented Nikola Jokic. Porter Jr. was often the gravity that opened driving lanes for Jokic and others.
The trade that moved Porter Jr. to Brooklyn arrived earlier this offseason. Denver sent him to the Nets in exchange for Cam Johnson. Porter Jr. described the transaction as a front-office decision rather than a locker-room drama.
“Basically, what happened was after we lost, the head coach was gone, they fired him two to three games before the playoffs,” Porter Jr. said when outlining the sequence. “They fired the GM, so a new GM comes in, and I think he just wanted to switch stuff up.”
He added that Jokic’s involvement in the trade was minimal. Porter Jr. called Jokic “laid back” and said the superstar did not steer personnel moves in an active or public way. That portrayal fits Jokic’s on-court demeanor, even as his influence inside the organization has grown alongside Denver’s rise.
For Brooklyn, the pickup offers a shooter and secondary scorer who can stretch defenses. Porter Jr.’s efficiency — a 50/40 split on shooting percentages — gives the Nets a proven floor spacer next to Brooklyn’s primary pieces. The fit will depend on health and how coaches deploy him.
There are risks, of course. Porter Jr. missed significant time early in his career and has battled injuries that limited availability. The Nets will need him on the court consistently to maximize the return on their investment and to justify moving Cam Johnson the other way.
From a tactical angle, Porter Jr. can create matchup problems for opponents when he drifts off the ball and hits catch-and-shoot shots. He also takes on defensive assignments that demand mobility. Brooklyn’s staff must decide whether to lean into his shooting or ask him to expand his playmaking.
The human side of the move matters as well. Porter Jr. leaves a locker room where he spent the bulk of his professional life, where familiarity with Jokic shaped his daily routine and development. That kind of chemistry is not easily replicated, but new environments can reinvigorate players and reveal different strengths.
Ultimately, this trade looks like a calculated gamble by both teams. Denver reset a roster slice, and Brooklyn added a floor spacer whose 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game have proven valuable. The coming season will show whether Porter Jr. can translate his Nuggets role into lasting success in Brooklyn.