Michael Porter Jr. Opens Up About New Role with Nets After First Game Against Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. faced off against the Denver Nuggets for the first time since being traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

Jan 4, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) looks to drive past Denver Nuggets guard Bruce Brown (11) in the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Denver Nuggets 127-115 on Sunday, snapping a three-game winning streak.

Perhaps the biggest storyline of the matchup was Michael Porter Jr. facing off against his former team for the first time, something he was waiting for for quite a while.

“I think I mentioned it in the summertime that I was excited for that first matchup against them," Porter said. "Really, since I've been traded, I was looking forward to playing against those guys, so it’s been circled on my calendar for a minute.”

“I probably felt a little bit more nervous for this one than for a lot of other games, but it was fun, though,”

Porter finished the game with 27 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists.

“He’s got a lot of freedom here, Nuggets coach David Adelman said. "This trade was good for everybody. He won a championship with us. He’s one of the main reasons we did it. “Any time you win the whole thing, the role was appropriate. Michael, we know how talented he is."

Adelman also acknowledged that Porter played through a lot of injuries and doesn't get enough credit for his toughness.

“To see him day in, day out maintenance himself so he can be available, was the most impressive thing for me," Adelman said. "Mike has this ability, he always has, but for us, he sacrificed…Our two-man game has been successful, and him in the corner with Aaron Gordon in the dunker [spot], was quite a thing. Michael, I thought we used him in the right way. I’m sure he’d disagree with me completely, which is OK, but we won a lot of games doing it that way. It’s cool to see him have some more freedom here under Jordi.”

Porter admitted it was tough to not always have the opportunity to show what he was fully capable of, but he also expressed a willingness to do what's best for the team.

"We had enough good players where we could create a good shot in a different way," Porter said. "I didn't need to come off of a screen and be high usage. Shoot some of the tougher shots that I'm shooting here, which I could make, but over there, those may not be considered the most highest percentage compared to what we could get. But it is good to be able to kind of show what I'm capable of and kinda get some of the recognition.