Nets Newcomer Michael Porter Jr. Calls Move New Chapter, Ready For Expanded Role

Michael Porter Jr. won a title with the Denver Nuggets. He started in nearly every game he played for a perennial contender. But after being traded to the Brooklyn Nets, the 27-year-old forward says it’s time for something different.

“I always said New York was my least-favorite NBA city,” Porter joked, via Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Just because I grew up in the Midwest, where there’s so much space and no traffic. So it’ll be an adjustment. But I think it’ll end up being an amazing place for me.”

That “adjustment” includes a shift in role and expectations. With the Nuggets, Porter was often the third option behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. In Brooklyn, he’ll have more freedom and more responsibility on a team that’s clearly in the early stages of a rebuild.

“It’s gonna be like exploring the game and working on the things in practice,” Porter said. “Part of being a successful NBA player is when you’re working on things during the season, you should work on the shots and things you’re gonna get in the game.”

Porter said he expects more chances in isolation and self-creation sets, noting that head coach Jordi Fernandez has already discussed designing opportunities to get him into comfortable spots.

“It will be a dialogue,” Porter said. “I’m excited to see where it goes. And it’s definitely gonna be an adaptation. I won’t be the same player [on opening night] as I will be Game 20 as I adjust to that heavier load and that heavier role.”

He averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 rebounds last season while shooting over 39% from beyond the arc, and he brings much-needed scoring to a Brooklyn roster that’s light on established offensive weapons.

The setting might not be Porter’s “favorite” yet, but if the opportunity grows the way he hopes, it just might become one.