When the Brooklyn Nets traded for Michael Porter Jr. from the Denver Nuggets this offseason, they couldn’t have imagined that he was going to stir up so much controversy. Porter has made many questionable remarks, and Nets general manager Sean Marks was asked about the team’s conversations with the forward on media day.
“Those conversations that myself and a group have had with Michael will remain internal,” Marks said. “I think this is, as Jordi [Fernandez] alluded to, a new environment for him, a new market, new expectations, new roles both on the court and in the locker room for him.
“So I think he’s one, finding his way,” Marks continued. “I think we’ll just basically leave it at that. But I mean, he knows where the organization stands on certain issues and topics, and this market is a little different than where he was.”
The initial conversations surrounding Porter this offseason were that this trade was a great opportunity for him. A Nets executive even stated that the 27-year-old could challenge for the scoring title in 2026. He was going to have a bigger role than ever before in an offense, and there was excitement about the possibilities.
Porter then started to open his mouth, and you’d imagine the Nets wouldn’t have been too pleased with a lot of what he had to say. We could go on forever if we touch on each of them.
Most notably, Porter admitted to using Andrew Tate’s clips to test women. He stated he isn’t a misogynist, but likes to play devil’s advocate. Porter also claimed his high school team could beat the WNBA All-Stars.
Porter has been compared to Kanye West this offseason, and while that might have been a compliment at one point, that’s not the case anymore.
You wonder how the Nets will react if Porter keeps this up. He would be an unnecessary distraction, and one can only get away with that if they are shining on the court. The Nets famously tolerated Kyrie Irving’s antics for quite some time because he performed magic on the court.
Porter isn’t quite a star, but he is a great option to have on a team nonetheless. He averaged 18.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game for the Nuggets in 2024-25.
While Porter is in new surroundings, he does have one familiar face by his side, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez. Fernandez was an assistant coach for the Nuggets from 2016 to 2022, and he spoke about the new acquisition on media day.
“He’s an elite shooter … great rebounder and great cutter,” Fernandez said. “The good thing is I have a previous relationship with him. Makes it a little easier for me, but I am going to ask him to do things that he’s never done before, and for those reasons I think he’s up for the challenge.”
Fernandez also stated that a starting spot wasn’t guaranteed to Porter as things stand. He added that the forward is excited to show everyone what he is capable of.
The Nets finished down at 12th in the East last season with a 26-56 record, and Porter will be looking to help them improve on that in 2025-26.
