Report: Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. to Be Cleared for On-Court Contact, Eyeing March Return

Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. is expected to be cleared for on-court contact within the next week, setting him up to return for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi. 

Porter has been out for the last three months after undergoing lumbar spine surgery. The operation has allowed the former first-round pick to return to the court and shoot in recent weeks, making on-court contact work the next step in his recovery. 

So long as he suffers no setbacks, Porter is poised to make his return in March, his agent Mark Bartelstein told Wojnarowski on Sunday.

Inserting Porter back into lineup could prove to be significant for Denver, who currently sits in sixth in the Western Conference, despite the absences of the forward and point guard Jamal Murray. Nikola Jokic has carried the Nuggets (35–25) with another MVP-caliber season, but would welcome the return of both teammates before the start of the postseason.

Porter, 23, labored during his time on the floor this season prior to the surgery. In nine games, he averaged just 9.9 points before electing to undergo the operation in early November.

Despite his struggles during the early part of the year, Porter was a focal point of Denver’s offense just a season ago. He averaged 19 points on 54% shooting, while shooting a remarkable 44.5% from beyond the arc on 6.3 three-point attempts per game. He finished third in the league’s Most Improved Player voting.

Unfortunately, back issues have sidetracked Porter’s career for the last five years, both in college and in the NBA. This is his third back procedure since November of 2017, when he was in his freshmen year at Missouri.