Nets' First Three Games Highlights the Michael Porter Jr. Experience

Entering year 7 in the NBA, you usually don't see a player break out. In Michael Porter Jr.'s case, it's the expectation.

Porter Jr. was the third and sometimes fourth option on a stacked Denver Nuggets roster. Now, he is arguably 1A and 1B with Cam Thomas. Three games into the season with the Brooklyn Nets, Porter Jr. isn't necessarily looking like a scoring title contender and his inconsistencies are still apparent.

The experience with the 27-year-old falls under the boom-or-bust category. Porter Jr. has already had and will have more games where he goes for an efficient 30 points, but on the other side, he will have inefficient games where he struggles to score and help the team in other ways.

Between games against the Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs, he shot 10-for-30 from the field and 5-for-16 from three. His game against the Cleveland Cavaliers has helped his numbers this season.

In Porter Jr.'s second game with the Nets, he tallied 31 points, eight rebounds and three assists, shooting just shy of 60% from the floor.

He is averaging 19.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game through three games. The standout improvement in Porter Jr.'s game has been his playmaking abilities. His assist numbers aren't boosted from an outlier performance either. Porter Jr. has dished out at least three assists in each game this season.

This could be as a result of an increase in usage, but looking at the numbers, he only has a usage rate that's 3.4 percentage points above his total last season with Denver. The more likely case is that Porter Jr. is seeing the floor differently due to his role with the Nets.

Despite Cam Thomas leading the team in scoring by a wide margin, Porter Jr. has received the most minutes of any player on the roster. Head coach Jordi Fernandez has four years of history with Porter Jr., and he clearly trusts him to fill a variety of needs.

It is unclear if the rising star is here to stay, but getting to more consistent play will benefit his trade value if Brooklyn decides to move on from him.

The danger with a player like Porter Jr. is if he starts to take away from the development of the Nets' youth. His play so far is a good sign for the future –– especially if the assist numbers hold true –– and he can help Brooklyn compete without ruining the rebuild.