Nets' Michael Porter Jr.'s Latest Injury Could Shut Him Down

Injuries have gotten to Porter Jr. in his first season with Brooklyn.

Mar 10, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. (17) looks to drive past Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the first quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets are 69 games into the 2025-26 regular season –– Michael Porter Jr. has played 52 of those games.

It was announced on Thursday that he was diagnosed with a left hamstring strain following an MRI performed on Wednesday. Porter Jr. will be out and reevaluated in two to three weeks. The Nets' season ends on Apr. 12, which is a little more than three weeks away.

Even if Porter Jr. can recover quickly, it may be wiser for Brooklyn to shut him down for the rest of the season. Head coach Jordi Fernandez isn't a proponent of tanking and has said in the past that he will play guys if they are able.

"By the rules, he’ll rest (however long) he (needs to) rest," Fernandez said on March 14 about Porter Jr.'s separate ankle injury.

Injuries used to define the prolific scorer from his brief college career with Missouri and into his unofficial rookie season. Porter Jr. suffered from severe back issues that required multiple surgeries, which scared off teams in the 2018 NBA Draft.

In the next six out of seven seasons, including the current one, he played over 50 games. If his current total stands true, it would be the second-lowest total of his career.

At most, Porter Jr. will only play a few games if he comes back. The trade-offs are not worth it when there are virtually zero positives to pull from his return. Reinjury is at the top of the list of concerns, as that could potentially take away from his first full offseason in Brooklyn.

Porter Jr. has proven to be a consistent star in his new threads. He's averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, three assists and a steal per game this season. While his shooting splits leave a little to be desired for a first option, they are still very strong and something that he can improve upon as he adjusts to having more offensive opportunities.

Fernandez's principles are admirable. Wanting to have a competitive mindset regardless of who he has playing will help the Nets come out of the other side of this rebuild stronger.

However, playing Porter Jr. in the closing games of this season will only put a dampener on younger options on the roster who are receiving heavy minutes currently. Development and competitiveness have to go hand-in-hand in a rebuild.

When you have a player with an injury history like Porter Jr., the wise option would be to prioritize his health going into another pivotal offseason.