Michael Porter Jr. On Nets’ Rebuild: ‘I’m a Little Bit More Patient'

When the Denver Nuggets traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets last offseason for Cam Johnson and a draft pick, many believed that the Nuggets got the better end of the deal. At the time, the most recent thing fans saw was a "30-to-40%" version of Porter, as he described it, dealing with a shoulder injury through the 2025 NBA playoffs.

Through those 14 games, the 6-foot-10 wing averaged just 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds. Porter recently appeared on Johnson's "The Young Man and The Three" podcast, and said that he knew someone on the Nuggets was going to get traded after they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.

"Once you win, then you're expected to win again," Porter said. "And I had said, 'If we don't win, someone's getting traded...'

"I felt like if I was half of myself, we win that series [against OKC], probably go on to the finals, and you're looking at a different story. But I knew after we lost the second round to OKC, that it was a possibility."

Fast forward to February 2026, and Porter is in the situation many believed would transpire after the deal to Brooklyn went through. His stats have increased, but the Nets are still losing games, currently sitting at 13-35. However, the 27-year-old hasn't just increased his numbers; he's turned himself into one of the most efficient scorers in the league.

Porter is averaging a career-best 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. On the surface, one would call that inflated due to the opportunities he's receiving.

While there may be some truth to that, it's actually leaning toward the other side of the spectrum. Porter is shooting an incredibly efficient 48.2% from the field and 39.8% from three. Inflated is getting as many shots and points as you'd like without worrying about misses. Porter is getting plenty of looks, but he's showing just how productive he can be.

Johnson asked the former Missouri Tiger about his current situation, going from a perennial title contender in Denver to a team in the early stages of a rebuild. Porter was honest, saying that his time with the Nuggets allowed him to be more comfortable with a change of scenery. He had already accomplished what most NBA players couldn't, did it while being a prominent piece of the franchise.

"If I didn't have [those years in Denver], I might be a little antsy with my agent, like, 'Man, are they trying to win? I need to go try to win," Porter said. "I want to be deep in the playoffs, but because I had that for seven years, I'm a little bit more patient with the process over here [in Brooklyn] and I'm enjoying leading these young guys. I'm enjoying teaching them different things."

In hindsight, the Nets look like the clear beneficiaries of the trade. Johnson, while dealing with a knee injury, has taken a noticeable decline in production, and Brooklyn owns Denver's 2032 first-round pick. In six years, there's no telling where the Nuggets will be.

With the NBA trade deadline around the corner, NBA Insider Marc Stein recently said that the buzz around a potential Porter departure is leaning the opposite way. The Nets may be prone to keeping him past Feb. 5 and reevaluating things in the offseason, as they did with Johnson last year.

Either way, Porter has embraced Brooklyn, and fans appreciate that. He has been one of the better players the franchise has had in recent history, despite the situation.