Oct 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Denver Nuggets small forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) warms up prior to the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Michael Porter Jr. Clarifies Controversial Comments After Nuggets-Nets Trade

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Liam Willerup | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 8:08 PM ET

The Denver Nuggets were able to take the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games in the Western Conference Semifinals, but weren't able to get the job done despite a historical season from Nikola Jokic. Looking at the key contributors on the team, one name that received a lot of blame for his lackluster performance was Michael Porter Jr.

Whether that was the reason or just his massive contract, the Nuggets decided this offseason to deal him to the Brooklyn Nets, alongside a first-round pick, to return them Cam Johnson. Porter Jr. had shared some comments after the deal, and was asked about them during his media availability at Summer League.

Asked Michael Porter Jr. why he felt his ceiling "plateaued" in Denver and what he's expecting with Brooklyn:

"I averaged 21 [points] one year. Last year, I was around 18 as the third option. I just feel like I have more in my tank still. I don't feel like I've reached my peak,… pic.twitter.com/yHYooCOAqR
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 14, 2025

On the topic that he plateaued in Denver, Porter Jr. shared, "I averaged 21 [points] one year. Last year, I was around 18 as the third option. I just feel like I have more in my tank still. I don't feel like I've reached my peak, and I'm excited to grow my game, expand my game, explore my game, and see what I could do."

The narrative around Porter Jr. is that health has limited him throughout his career, but that really hasn't been much of a problem since the 2021-22 season. He was limited to 62 games in 2022-23, but has played at least 77 games in the past two years.

Asked Egor Demim about playing with Michael Porter Jr:

“For me, it’s really important that he’s on the team. I'm super happy... At BYU, I had Trevin Knell, one of the best shooters in the country. And now I have one of the best shooters in the league, which is in the world.” pic.twitter.com/RaPcjO14gH
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 14, 2025

Joining the Nets, he'll be in a situation where he should see more shot attempts than he's ever had in his career. So far, his career high in attempts in a season is 13.6 per game, and given that Brooklyn selected several point guards, Porter Jr. should be seeing the ball come his way often.

This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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