Free agency moratorium hit the NBA world like a storm. One of the first moves that was announced during the moratorium was that the Nuggets had traded Michael Porter Jr to the Nets for Cam Johnson. The 27-year-old sharpshooter was on his way to Capri, Italy, when he found out about this news.
A few days after the trade was announced, Porter Jr. released an 11-minute-long video on YouTube with an emotional farewell message for the Nuggets organization. However, while he was thanking the team and recalling his best days with them, he made a surprising admission in the video.
As the new Nets player recalled how the Nuggets’ head coach Mike Malone “threw him in the fire” during his rookie year in the Playoffs, he moved on to speak his mind about his “next chapter” in Brooklyn.
“I’m really excited for this next chapter out here in Brooklyn. I think over there in Denver, I felt like my ceiling had kind of plateaued. Um, you know, we have a very—we just have a way of playing, you know, and how Joker plays, how Jamal plays, that two-man game is very potent. And you know that’s how we play, and I’m so appreciative of the way we play. We end up winning a championship. But I do feel like my ceiling in Denver kind of plateaued a little bit, and I’m excited for this next chapter in Brooklyn for sure.”
It is rather surprising to hear him admit that he felt his future was not very bright and “plateaued” with the team that he won a championship with. However, it is important to observe the pattern that in the past three seasons with the Nuggets, his averages were always in the range of 16 to 18 points per game. Potentially the plateau he was referring to.
While talking about Cam Johnson, Porter Jr had some kind words to say about him as well.
“It’s crazy cause Cam and I are actually boys. We’re pretty cool. You know, we’re even having talks of swapping homes. You know, he might stay in my crib in Denver. I might stay where he lived in Brooklyn. Obviously, Denver got a great player and a great dude, and I’m excited for him to be able to finally, you know, compete for a championship over there, and I myself am excited to expand my game and be able to do what I do.”
Michael Porter Jr played for the Denver Nuggets for 6 seasons after they drafted him No. 14 in 2018. He averaged 16.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in the 345 regular-season games he played for them. Now, he’s joining the Nets as a veteran on the young roster. He brings his championship experience to the table for the Nets and could make leaps in his own game, potentially being the No. 1 option in scoring there.
At age 27, Porter Jr should ideally be in the prime of his career. However, injuries have plagued his career, forcing a player who could’ve potentially been the No. 1 pick in 2018 to resort to playing as the third option in Denver. Now having the task to bring a championship culture to a young team like the Nets, will Porter Jr finally meet his potential and take the All-Star leap next season? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
