Today, Michael Porter Jr. is known as the Brooklyn Nets‘ star player and one of the most prolific scorers in the NBA. However, before he arrived in Brooklyn, Porter Jr. cut his teeth in Denver with the Nuggets, asserting himself as a key role player and even winning a title with the team in 2023.
Needless to say, being traded from the Nuggets had an impact on Michael Porter Jr., as the forward has explicitly taken shots at the franchise since. Now, in light of Denver’s first-round exit after losing to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Porter Jr. only fed into his animosity during an appearance on the “Road Trippin’ Show.”
While speaking about the Nuggets’ postseason run coming to an end, Porter Jr. hilariously admitted to supporting the Timberwolves during the first-round series, stating:
“I actually spoke about that the other day, where you kind of just almost feel like a hater. I’m watching the game, and I’m like, ‘Why am I cheering for the Wolves like that?’ I think it’s that human nature.”
The Nuggets-Wolves rivalry has been building since the 2023 NBA playoffs, which, coincidentally, is the year Michael Porter Jr. and the Nuggets made their title run. Despite being a part of that rivalry, the forward admitted to rooting for Minnesota, showcasing how deeply he felt about being traded by Denver.
Still, Porter Jr. remained supportive of his former teammates, sharing:
“But I mean, obviously, I wanted my guys to do well. I didn’t like that AG was hurt. I didn’t like that PWat they couldn’t do their thing. I was talking to Christian Braun during the series. He hurt his ankle in the first game, you know, and he played through it. Same way I played through a shoulder injury last year. Now he’s getting killed on social media, especially since the comments he made.”
“Those are my guys. I wanted them to do well, but I mean, I just think they might miss me. I don’t know, probably not,” he concluded, smiling.
Michael Porter Jr.’s comment reflects his support for his former teammates, but it is evident that he doesn’t have such positive feelings about the Nuggets’ franchise.
During the 2025 playoffs, Michael Porter Jr. revealed he played through a shoulder injury, causing a notable dip in his scoring. While such an outcome is expected due to injury, Porter Jr. also stated that his poor performance eventually led to him being traded.
In more recent shots at the franchise, Porter Jr. also stated that the Nuggets would have won the title if they had never traded him. While this may seem bold, from a statistical perspective, it may not be outrageous.
Parting with Denver was significant for Porter Jr.’s growth as an offensive player, as he averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game on 46.3% shooting from the field this season. In comparison, his replacement, Cam Johnson, posted 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds on 48.0% shooting from the field.
While Johnson’s addition strengthened the team’s perimeter defense, the forward didn’t prove as effective as hoped on the offensive end. Thus, even though Michael Porter Jr.’s claim is based on a hypothetical situation, there is reason to believe that he may have been more productive.
