Michael Porter Jr. Sends Heartfelt Message to Nuggets Players After Trade

Porter Jr. and Johnson are similar players offensively, as they can both move without the ball and are deadly from three-point range, but the Nuggets got out of the deal with the better defender of the two and a much cheaper contract. Of course, Denver had to attach a first-round pick to get rid of Porter Jr.'s contract, but it should make them a more well-rounded team.

Michael Porter Jr.'s career

The Nuggets drafted Porter Jr. 14th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft, and soon after missing his entire rookie year due to injury, he made waves around the league. In the 2020-21 season, Porter Jr. made a name for himself with a career-best year, averaging 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 54.2% from the field and 44.5% from three-point range.

Since then, Porter Jr. has had a couple more injury concerns, but has overall been an impactful offensive player in Denver. The 27-year-old forward also played a significant role in Denver's route to an NBA championship in 2023, and while he gets a new, fresh opportunity in Brooklyn, he is reminiscing on his time with the Nuggets.

Porter Jr. gets honest about his former teammates

Following the trade, Porter Jr. took to his Curious Mike podcast to talk about how his former Nuggets teammates made a huge impact on him, and how it feels playing with so many different players throughout the years.

“The relationships I’ve built … I was here for so long that the only two people that were [still] on the team by the time I got traded were Jamal [Murray] and Nikola [Jokic],” Porter Jr. said. “I’ve been through so many different teammates, and that’s the life of a lot of NBA players, but I remember my times with Monte Morris and Will Barton, those were my guys."

Porter Jr. continued to talk about some of his former teammates.

"I remember getting mentored by Paul Millsap … Then Jerami Grant came, and I got real close with him and we were in the bubble together chopping it up," Porter Jr. continued. "[Jarred Vanderbilt] and Torrey [Craig], and then now, all these guys, Julian [Strawther], Peyton [Watson].”

Porter Jr. now gets an opportunity to have an expanded role and make more relationships with new teammates in Brooklyn, but it is likely hard for a player to be sent to a new team after spending seven years with the same franchise.