The Nuggets are hoping to reach a rookie scale extension agreement with Michael Porter Jr. this offseason, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post. Porter had a breakout season, averaging 19.0 PPG and 7.3 RPG and president of basketball operations Tim Connelly is eager to lock up his combo forward long-term.
“He’s basketball-obsessed. His work ethic is an A-plus. It’s fun when you see guys like that where he had to battle through adversity and all the injuries,” Connelly said. “We’ll sit down with Michael’s representation. Our M.O. is when we can, we try to lock guys up and reward them for what they’ve done.”
We have more on the Nuggets:
- Connelly said that the luxury tax is not a factor in keeping the team competitive, as he told Singer. “We have no financial restraints in terms of trying to further develop a championship-level roster,” he said. Singer notes team salary would likely surpass the tax threshold during the 2022/23 season if Porter is signed to an extension.
- Porter might be more valuable as a trade chip than a fixture in the Nuggets’ lineup, Denver Post columnist Mark Kiszla opines. While Porter is an elite scorer, he has ball-handling issues and is an obvious defensive liability. If Denver can get a star such as Bradley Beal and Zion Williamson in a trade involving Porter, Connelly shouldn’t hesitate, Kiszla adds.
- Along with Porter’s contract situation, the Nuggets must decide this offseason whether to pursue an extension with Aaron Gordon and whether they want to re-sign Will Barton and JaMychal Green if they decline their player options, Singer writes in an offseason outlook. Adding backcourt depth is also a priority until Murray returns from his knee injury.
From the article
Trade Porter Jr for Zion
Zion value is 10
Porter value is 6
Porter value is equal to the 5-9th pick next week
I think porter is more like a 2-4 pick in value but laughable to mention Zion in the conversation.. maybe McCullum but have a hard time seeing a face of a franchise traded for him
Porter for Zion … Do writers in Denver really believe that Griffin is that stupid. On second thought, the imbecile might actually return the phone call.
No, Mark Kiszla is a hack. He’s been doing the same trick for a good 20 years no:
– Criticize Denver sports figure in a really specific, provocative way
– Offer up a poorly considered list of solutions, before putting the onus on the person he’s criticizing to “figure it out”
– Find fault with whatever decision is made
– Repeat
He’s awful.
Agree about Kizka, he has been having a field day bashing Drew Lock in addition to Porter, He needs a new assignment for his tired old act.
Kiszla can relax. There is little risk that Connelly will hesitate if either Zion or Beal are offered for MPJ.
Real question is whether Connelly is up to initiating star for star trade talks involving MPJ, which might allow for a roster better configured around Jokic? I think he should. Few FO’s do such things these days, and, to date, Connelly’s certainly shown no appetite for it.
I lold at the “don’t hesitate” line from Kiszla. Good pt on trade talks.
The funniest thing about Kiszla’s analysis: He’s able to assess a young player’s ceiling after the player’s second full NBA season. MPJ is still literally learning how to play at an NBA level – he won’t find his stride for another 3-4 years.
There’s every chance in the world MPJ rounds out his game. He’s just one season removed from being a rookie, and he’s already an important player on a good team. Trading MPJ for a great player is certainly an option, doing so because “he’s a poor defender with a bad handle” (or whatever) is just laughable.
There it is, you actually blame Kiszla for his opinion of MPJ, which is correct. He should be traded now while his value is high, instead of 3-4 years, when he still cannot anticipate, get low, change direction, or be tough enough to play any more than comical defense. He just points at who he thinks someone else should cover even though he should do it. But he thinks he’s the star. He does get treated as such prematurely and this aggrieves true hard workers like Grant. MPJ can shoot & rebound, that’s all. It will never be enough for the windows of Jokic & Murray. Three maxxes is too many… The team needs defense at the 4and2.
Connelly says he works hard?— at standstill shooting, his thing. Much else is a risk to his back. I have had DEN #1 for two years but the FO is all about potential not results.
It’s amazing how so many can clearly identify a second year player’s ceiling.
His contract is more than 2 years old and the Nugs have to decide if they will be able to match what he will want. His ceiling is pretty high, but that means he would return talent.
Well I was wrong with Booker, who eventually got paired with an ideal heads-up guard in ChrisP and balanced the backcourt.
Who knows if ChrisP will be around to help his team win the WCF.
Well, no back injury and he goes No. 1 overall to the Suns or 2nd to the Kings.
He would somehow be trash if he went to the Kings.
And hed have an even more polished game. But… He doesn’t take over a game like Zion does and he doesnt have the cache. Zion’s value goes beyond basketball. If I were the Wizards and I was going to trade Beal, I’d have to weigh my offers for Beal. MPJ and Ben Simmons would be on the table. And that’s where it would end up taking more bc you have multiple bidders.
Why would the Nuggets give Gordon an extension? He was supposed to be the missing piece that would help them go deep in the playoffs, instead they get swept by Phoenix. After looking so good 3 years ago, he has gotten worse every year since.
In fairness, Denver was without its 2nd biggest piece in Jamal Murray. I think people underestimate just how much his presence was missed. I’m not saying that Murray would have caused the Nuggets to win, but I don’t think it would have been as lopsided either. And if the Nuggets could have won 1 game, Chris Paul wouldn’t have been playing in the rest due to Covid, so maybe it could have changed the whole series.
PJ Dozier was the bigger missing piece, in my opinion
I don’t think the Nuggets should trade MPjr…I mean I guess if NO offers Zion, they have to say yes…but I’m not trading MP for a backcourt player like Bradley Beal. I’m sure someone will offer MPjr a max so the Nuggets have to. I probably wouldn’t sign Aaron Gordon to an extension. I hope he plays well and I hope they re-sign him but this year he didn’t give them much more than Torrey Craig…energy guys aren’t worth big contracts.
MPjr needs to let himself get fouled…I’ve seen him about to get fouled on a jump shot and he’ll duck away from the defender. He shot 2.2 foul shots a game. That should be about 6. If he shot 6 free throws a game this year, he would have averaged 22 pts per game. He doesn’t need to become a great dribbler yet…if he can take 2 or 3 dribbles and shoot he’ll be fine. He could use a little post up game for when he’s guarded by small small forwards like Mikal Bridges.. His defense needs to keep improving. His skill set as a (strong rebounding floor spacing power forward) fits very well next to Jokic.
I wouldn’t trade MPJ for Zion. MPJ looks like he’s over his injuries, but Zion’s knees are always going to suck.