Michael Porter Jr. Claims He Would Have Helped Nuggets Avoid 1st-Round Loss to Wolves

Michael Porter Jr. said the Denver Nuggets never should have traded him to the Brooklyn Nets.

Michael Porter Jr. Claims He Would Have Helped Nuggets Avoid 1st-Round Loss to Wolves

Michael Porter Jr. continues talking about gambling (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Michael Porter Jr. claims he could have helped the Nuggets avoid their first-round loss to the Timberwolves.
  • He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets last offseason, where he had a standout season despite the team's poor record.
  • MPJ played through a significant shoulder injury during the playoffs with the Nuggets, impacting his performance.

Michael Porter Jr. was drafted by the Denver Nuggets as the 14th overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft. He played for the franchise for six seasons and was a solid third option after Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. He played an instrumental role in their first and only NBA championship in 2023.

He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the offseason last year in exchange for Cameron Johnson. The move didn’t turn out to be so good for the Nuggets as Johnson struggled to find his footing on the team.

The Nuggets are coming off a disappointing first-round exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They were expected to take the series to seven games after the Wolves were left severely shorthanded for Game 6. They took to court without the services of Anthony Edwards, Donte DiVincenzo, and Ayo Dosunmu. It didn’t matter as the Nuggets were beaten 110-98 and were eliminated in six games.

In a recent appearance on N3on’s stream, MPJ was asked whether the Nuggets would have beaten the Wolves if he still played for them.

Yes. They shouldn’t have traded me, man.

Michael Porter Jr. on N3on’s live stream

Nikola Jokic did not have the best of series by his standards, but he still did post impressive numbers. However, Jamal Murray struggled to find any consistency as the secondary scorer in the series, while Cam Johnson hasn’t been the third option that the Nuggets were looking for when they traded for him.

Michael Porter Jr. did step up more often than not in the playoffs for the Nuggets. He developed as a solid third scoring option and sometimes even as a second option whenever Jokic or Murray struggled to find any rhythm. Unfortunately, the Nuggets moved on from the 27-year-old.

Since their championship run in 2023, the Nuggets have not made it to a single Western Conference Final. Questions are being asked after their first-round exit, and the front office will have some pondering to do in the offseason.

Michael Porter Jr. played through injury in the playoffs last year

Last year in the playoffs, the Nuggets battled through and won a seven-game series against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round. The series took a toll on Michael Porter Jr. The forward was poor against the eventual champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, which led to his exit in the offseason.

During the live stream, MPJ revealed that he played through the series with a shoulder injury that hindered his performance.

I made myself look really bad because I’m playing through a crazy injury. Can’t even lift my arm… Every time I shot, my shoulder would pop. I’m getting a needle into my shoulder every game.

Michael Porter Jr. on his shoulder injury last year

The injury did prove to be a significant one as he struggled to regain his scoring form in the series. In seven games, he averaged just 7.4 points and 5.3 rebounds. It is unfortunate that the Nuggets decided to ship him out, considering he was playing through a shoulder injury.

Brooklyn Nets are a team on the rise

There is no doubt that Michael Porter Jr. was the best player for the Brooklyn Nets this season. He is coming off his best scoring season as he averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and three assists in 52 appearances. Despite his impressive numbers, the Nets finished at 13th place in the Eastern Conference standings with a 20-62 record.

Michael Porter Jr. has been the Brooklyn Nets' best player
Michael Porter Jr. (Image via NetsCifer/X)

While speaking to N3on, MPJ revealed that he is optimistic about the Nets’ future despite their poor 2025-26 campaign.

Honestly, I’m living my best life in Brooklyn. Even though we didn’t do well this year, I see the future. We’re the youngest team in the league, and we’ve got a lot of money to spend. I think we go and get a really good player in the draft, as well. I think we’ll be alright.

The average age of the Nets roster is 23.3 years this season. They hold the third-best lottery odds for the 2026 NBA Draft and have a good chance of a top-four pick selection. Therefore, it isn’t surprising to see MPJ still have high hopes for his new squad going forward.

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