Michael Porter Jr.

Nets Notes: Demin, Wolf, Porter, Antetokounmpo

November 30th, 2025 at 11:05am CST by Eli Cohen

The Nets have lost four games in a row and hold a record of 3-16 on the season, but there are starting to be signs of hope — not necessarily for this season, but for the future, writes C.J. Holmes of the New York Daily News.

On Friday’s loss to the Sixers, rookie lottery pick Egor Demin shook off a scoreless first half to finish with the best game of his young career. His final stat line was 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks, one steal, and five made threes.

“I just think we really needed to flip a switch and find a way,” Demin said. “And for me, it was the moment when I just felt it better, and I found that extra energy in myself… To really find that assertiveness and being decisive and being focused on what I can control and what we can control as a group and keep really following our staples and really trying to reach the goals we put pregame on our game plan and being able to get stops and run the floor.”

Head coach Jordi Fernandez liked what he saw in the second half, but is determined to bring out more consistency in the young, 6’8″ guard.

“He’s going to have to do that for four quarters and not just to take three attempts in the first [half] and 15 in the second,” Fernandez said. “It doesn’t need to be equal or even, but he just has to find a way.”

Demin missed Saturday’s loss to the Bucks as he continues to rehab from his offseason left plantar fascia tear.

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For stretches of the Nets’ loss to the Bucks, rookie big man Danny Wolf was the best scorer on the court, Holmes writes. He scored 22 points with four assists and five made three, leading the team in scoring, made threes, and minutes despite coming off the bench. It was only Wolf’s second time seeing more than three minutes in a game, both of which came in the last three days.
Michael Porter Jr. has missed the last two games with lower back tightness. Lewis writes that, despite the team not expressing concern about the injury, Porter’s history of back issues makes that a concerning update. “Obviously, we’re never going to rush him. His health, body, is the No. 1 priority,” Fernandez said. “We’re not concerned. [It’s] tightness, and we’ll see how he feels.”
The Nets’ interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo is a poorly-kept secret, but Saturday’s blowout at the hands of the Bucks only shows how far away they are from being in a position to entice him, Lewis writes in a separate piece. Antetokounmpo scored 29 points and eight rebounds in just 19 minutes as the Nets were unable to offer any resistance to his onslaught. This summer, the former MVP was rumored to have a desire to play with the Knicks, and has made it clear that his number one priority is to contend for championships.

Injury Notes: Brown, Nembhard, Porzingis, MPJ, Pelicans

November 28th, 2025 at 6:32pm CST by Rory Maher

Star wing Jaylen Brown is questionable to suit up for the Celtics on Saturday in Minnesota, tweets Marc Stein of The Stein Line. Brown, who has appeared in all 18 of Boston’s games thus far in 2025/26, is dealing with lower back spasms.

The 29-year-old has taken on an increased offensive workload with Jayson Tatum out with a torn Achilles tendon. Brown is averaging a career-high 28.2 points per game this season while also contributing 5.8 rebounds and 4.3 assists per contest.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard has been ruled out of Friday’s game against Washington because of a right quad contusion, relays Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. However, it doesn’t sound like Nembhard’s injury is serious — head coach Rick Carlisle hopes to have the team’s starting point guard back on Saturday vs. Chicago (Twitter link via Dopirak).
Hawks center Kristaps Porzingis is battling an illness and won’t play in Friday’s matchup vs. Cleveland, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). While Porzingis has been productive in his first season with Atlanta, availability continues to be an issue — Friday will mark his eighth missed game in the Hawks’ first 20 games of the season.
Michael Porter Jr. has been a bright spot for the tanking Nets, posting career-best numbers in several statistical categories. However, the 27-year-old forward is out for Friday’s game against Philadelphia due to lower back tightness. Brian Lewis of The New York Post asked Friday evening whether Porter’s injury would result in a short- or long-term absence (Twitter link). “Obviously we’re never going to rush him. His health, body, is the No. 1 priority,” head coach Jordi Fernandez replied. “We’re not concerned…We’ll give an update after the game.”
In addition to Dejounte Murray (right Achilles rupture), Jordan Poole (left quad strain) and Herbert Jones (right calf strain), the Pelicans will also be without second-year big man Karlo Matkovic (right calf strain) and third-year guard Jordan Hawkins (illness) on Saturday at Golden State, per a team press release. Versatile wing Trey Murphy III, who is dealing with right elbow soreness, is questionable to suit up against the Warriors.

Nets Notes: Porter, Saraf, Lottery, Demin

November 17th, 2025 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Nets coach Jordi Fernandez has been urging Michael Porter Jr. to take more responsibility for facilitating the offense and to get back to the cutting style that made him successful in Denver, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Porter handed out seven assists for the second straight game and contributed 34 points and nine rebounds as Brooklyn topped Washington on Sunday for its second win of the season.

“He has a plan for him to get better and to show things that he hasn’t done before,” Fernandez said. “And right now for him to buy into finishing his cuts, not dancing, not over-dribbling, putting pressure on the rim, everybody benefits from it. And guess what? Usually when he does it, he’s the one benefiting from it. So we want him and need him to play like this, because that’s just contagious and good for the group. So, very proud of him.”

Porter accepted the blame for Friday’s loss at Orlando as he shot 1-of-6 down the stretch in a close game. He told Lewis that he’s still adapting to the Nets’ style of play, but the team has passing big men who can reward cutters.

“When I was in Denver, everyone assumed that I was just getting some of those cuts because of Nikola (Jokic) and his vision. But I’ve always been a cutter, a guy that likes to find easy buckets, use my size around the basket,” Porter said. “So coming over here, it’s something that I have been intentional about. (Nic) Claxton and Day’Ron (Sharpe) can really pass the ball and they found me for a lot of easy points around the rim. So I got to keep doing that.”

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First-round pick Ben Saraf injured his ankle in a G League game, Lewis adds in the same piece. A source told Lewis that Saraf is being evaluated and an update will likely be issued later today.
Sunday’s game with the Wizards matched two teams at the bottom of the NBA standings, and the Nets might have slightly damaged their lottery odds by winning. Fernandez said that wasn’t a concern going into the contest, as his focus is on day-to-day improvement, Lewis states in a separate story. “It’s a learning process. And it’s not just about the young guys. And I want to repeat this over and over: It’s about us. It’s about the group. It’s about growing together,” Fernandez said. “There’s a plan for everybody to get better. And if you don’t get better, you get worse.”
Egor Demin has played well since moving into the starting lineup, but he only saw seven minutes of action in the second half on Friday, Lewis adds in another piece. Fernandez explained that his decision was about using the combination that was working best that night. “At some point, what you’re trying to find is a group that gives you a run,” Fernandez said. “It’s not just about one player. It’s about finding a group. Egor played against a very physical team; those minutes are extremely valuable. But it’s not just about the rookies. I know (reporters) ask me about the rookies all the time, but it’s everybody.”

Nets Notes: Demin, Thomas, Porter, Clowney

November 9th, 2025 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rookie guard Egor Demin made his first career start Friday night, and he’s likely to remain in that role while Cam Thomas recovers from his strained hamstring, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Nets coach Jordi Fernandez was encouraged by what he saw from the No. 8 pick in this year’s draft, who had eight points, seven assists and only one turnover.

“He’s a really smart kid. He asks questions, he works at it, so I know he’ll understand all that,” Fernandez said. “His super power on defense (is) his length and rebounding. And if you look at (Friday), he grabbed three rebounds. And he should be able to get a lot of deflections because … his length, his positioning on defense is very good. So, keep growing on that end of the floor for sure.”

Lewis cites a “teaching moment” that occurred late in the first half after Demin forced a pair of shots during a 9-0 run by Detroit. Fernandez took him aside to explain the errors, and Demin said he appreciates the guidance.

“It’s really good for everybody — not just me, but the whole group in general — knowing that Jordi is really trying to help us and help the group,” he said. “And he’s super open to communicate and tell us what exactly he wants from us and not just the group, but each of us as personnel. And for me, it’s important to hear some advice from him during the game, before the game, after the game, things like this. So I think it’s really cool.”

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Thomas is projected to miss three-to-four weeks, but he said the injury doesn’t feel as severe as when he hurt his hamstring last season, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter video link). “It’s way different,” Thomas said. “It’s not as bad as the last one, I’ll say that. I dodged a bullet with that.”
After being acquired from Denver over the summer, Michael Porter Jr. is experiencing what it’s like to be in a starring role rather a complementary player, Lewis states in a separate story. The Nets will rely on Porter to carry the offense even more while Thomas is sidelined. “I’m going to push myself to be able to handle a bigger load than I used to,” Porter said. “I’ve always been someone that can adapt to a situation. … As the season goes on, I’ll get even more comfortable figuring out how I can get good looks off against some of these really good defenders. It’s going to be a work in progress.”
Noah Clowney reached double figures in scoring on Friday for the third straight time since being inserted into the starting lineup, notes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. Clowney tied his career high by hitting four three-pointers in a quarter and finished with a season-best 19 points.

Nets Notes: Porter, Clowney, Powell, Wolf, Rotation

October 24th, 2025 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Projected to be the NBA’s very worst team a year ago, the Nets defied expectations in the season’s opening weeks, winning nine of their first 19 games. If they hope to repeat that feat this fall, Wednesday’s season opener in Charlotte didn’t represent a step in the right direction.

As Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, Brooklyn looked very much like a tanking team in a blowout 136-117 loss to a Hornets club that won just 19 games last season.

“We weren’t good on defense at all, especially in transition,” forward Michael Porter Jr. said after the game. “Offensively we got some good looks, but we’ve got to be more organized and together as a team. We definitely need to have a sense of urgency and figure out our identity. We’ve got to figure that out as a team. It’s the first game; can’t overreact. But at the same time we saw some glaring problems, individually and collectively.”

As Porter observes, the Nets struggled badly on the defensive end in Wednesday’s loss, allowing the Hornets to make 53.3% of their shots from the field, including 47.2% of their three-pointers. Charlotte also outscored Brooklyn 23-5 in fast-break points.

“We just got to execute better from top to bottom — all five guys on the court, the bench. Our energy. We just all have to be better, for real,” starting center Nic Claxton said. “It starts on a defensive end … our energy just has to be better. And when we face adversity, we all have to be better. Everybody.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

It was a forgettable Nets regular season debut for Porter, who struggled on both ends of the court and was a team-worst -19 in 25 minutes, Lewis writes in a separate New York Post story. While Porter has never been a lockdown defender, he’s usually a reliable source of offense. However, his shot wasn’t falling against Charlotte, as he knocked down just 5-of-15 attempts from the floor. “I just didn’t feel like I was as fresh as I needed to be,” he said. “I feel like a lot of the guys were probably a little bit more sluggish, a second too slow.”
Nets forward/center Noah Clowney was happy that the team decided to exercise its fourth-year option on his rookie scale contract this week, guaranteeing his $5.41MM salary for 2026/27. “It feels good to know that they believe in me to do that,” Clowney told Lewis. “So for them to do that means they believe in me being some form of long-term piece. So, it feels good to know that.”
A pair of the Nets’ first-round picks are sideliend with early-season injuries, per Lewis. Drake Powell sustained a right ankle sprain in Wednesday’s loss in Charlotte, while Danny Wolf sprained his left ankle at the team’s shootaround earlier in the day. Both rookies have been ruled out for at least the club’s Friday home opener vs. Cleveland.
In the wake of Jordi Fernandez‘s comments about his plan to use a 10-man rotation, Lewis (subscription required) explores what the Nets’ rotation might look like, suggesting that rookies Nolan Traore and Powell could probably benefit from some time in the G League during the first half of the season.

Players Seeking Paydays This Season

October 5th, 2025 at 5:03pm CST by Eli Cohen

While some players are still hoping to finalize rookie scale extensions before the season begins, the majority of contract situations around the league have been settled at this point. But business never sleeps in the world of the NBA, and many players will enter this season hoping to impress executives and land their next big payday.

Zach Harper of The Athletic details the top names playing for new deals this season, excluding the aforementioned rookie scale extension seekers.

One player not on a rookie-scale deal but still extension-eligible is Michael Porter Jr., whom the Nets recently acquired to add some scoring pop to the starting lineup. Porter’s deal runs for two more seasons and will pay him $38.3MM this year and $40.8MM in 2026/27.

The Nets’ roster remains a major work in progress, making future projections tricky, but at just 27 years old, Porter is in position to have a big year in Brooklyn and boost his stock entering a contract year next summer. The biggest question, according to Harper, is whether Porter’s next deal would remain in the range of the $40MM+ he’ll earn in 2026/27 or if he would take a modest pay cut to secure a longer-term contract.

Harper takes a look at three big men who could hit the open market next summer: Kristaps Porzingis, the Hawks‘ new starting center, longtime Bulls veteran Nikola Vucevic, and the Knicks‘ on-and-off starter Mitchell Robinson. All three have question marks surrounding them — for Porzingis and Robinson, those questions center around health, though Robinson could also be a cap casualty on New York’s increasingly pricey roster.

Vucevic has been in trade rumors for years, and with the Bulls taking more steps to embrace a youth movement than they have in the past, his time in Chicago could be coming to an end. Harper predicts an annual value of around $21MM for Vucevic on his next deal, which is about what he’ll earn in 2025/26.

Another group of players Harper looks at is a trio of high-scoring guards who will be free agents in 2026: Anfernee Simons and Norman Powell, who were acquired this summer by the Celtics and Heat, respectively, and Coby White, who has grown into a talented combo guard over his six seasons with the Bulls. Harper predicts a deal around $20MM annually for Simons, $75MM over three years for White, and a two-year, $50MM contract for Powell.

The 2026 free agency class will also be impacted by the decisions made by veterans with player options, such as Zach LaVine (Kings), Bradley Beal (Clippers), and Austin Reaves (Lakers). Cam Thomas (Nets) and Quentin Grimes (Sixers) will also reach unrestricted free agency after accepting their respective qualifying offers and will be looking to recoup the money they passed on this offseason.

Finally, Harper singles out four role players who could be coveted next season, depending on their performance this season: Rui Hachimura (Lakers), Tyus Jones (Magic), Keon Ellis (Kings), and Georges Niang (Jazz). The 25-year-old Ellis has broken out over the last two seasons and could command his first real payday of his career if he has a strong season off the bench in Sacramento. Harper speculates he could be in line for a deal similar to the three-year, $27.6MM contract Ty Jerome signed with the Grizzlies this summer.

Nets Notes: Porter, Whitehead, Demin, Sharpe, More

October 3rd, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

Michael Porter Jr., the Nets‘ biggest non-rookie offseason move, recently spoke about his struggles with injuries and how they impact his view of his career, saying, “Because of the injuries and stuff, I don’t know how much longer I really want to play,” and adding that his strategy is to take his career one year at a time.

He clarified those comments this week, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post (via Twitter).

“I wanna play as long as I can; it’s just easier in my head to be like, man, give it my all, everything I have this year and when the year’s over see where I’m at mentally and reevaluate,” he said. “But… I wanna play as long as my body allows me to.”

While the early stages of Porter’s career were beset by back injuries, he’s been able to hold up relatively well in recent years, writes CJ Holmes of the New York Daily News. Porter credits psychotherapist Nicole Sachs, who specializes in chronic pain and mind-body healing, for helping him get back on track physically.

“I didn’t realize how much of that actually stemmed from the mental side of things and the stress and all that,” Porter said. “So, once I kind of put all those pieces together, and I didn’t just pay attention to the physical side of things, I was able to have a very well-rounded approach to my rehab. And since then, I haven’t had any problems with my back.”

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Dariq Whitehead is entering a crucial season for his career, writes Lewis in an article for the New York Post. A top high school recruit who struggled in college largely due to injury, Whitehead is now on a roster that added five rookies, many of whom play on the perimeter like himself. The Nets will have to make some difficult roster decisions in the near future, which means this training camp is critical for Whitehead to make his case to stick around. For his part, the former first-round pick said that having his first fully healthy NBA offseason could make a huge difference. “For me, I feel like this was honestly my most important summer,” he said. “Not being able to do what I had needed to do the past three summers, being able to work out, work on my body. Just the difference I felt from the last game of last season to now and just being able to trust my body — how comfortable I am with just handling things that I’d done before — is just night and day.“
Head coach Jordi Fernandez was noncommittal when discussing lottery pick Egor Demin‘s status for the preseason, according to Lewis, who tweets that Fernandez simply said that Demin is “progressing well” from the plantar fascia tear that he sustained during the offseason. Lewis notes that fellow 2025 first-round pick Drake Powell will not play in the preseason opener Saturday as he looks to return from the knee injury that caused him to miss Summer League.
Day’Ron Sharpe has visibly trimmed down his weight this offseason, Holmes writes in a separate piece for the New York Daily News, adding that Fernandez has emphasized conditioning across the roster. “I’m trying to be able to play more minutes and not be gassed out if I’ve got to play more minutes, for consecutive games or whatever,” Sharpe said. “So just trying to get in the best shape I could be.” However, it’s not just bulk that Sharpe focused on this summer. “It was flexibility, I tried to get my flexible stretch in, doing pilates, stuff like that,” the big man said. After signing a two-year deal with the Nets, Sharpe will now look to carve out a more consistent role on a team that also employs Nic Claxton, Noah Clowney, and newly-drafted 7’0″ big man Danny Wolf in the frontcourt.
Tyrese Martin had his team option picked up this summer, but he’s not taking anything for granted, given that his salary for 2025/26 remains non-guaranteed, per Lewis (via Twitter). “I’d never say that I’m actually on a solid footing,” the 26-year-old wing said. “Even when things are guaranteed, stuff’s still not guaranteed, especially in this business. So that’s just been my mindset all the way out and through.”

New York Notes: Brown, Shamet, Clowney, MPJ, Muoka

September 29th, 2025 at 9:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Knicks head coach Mike Brown wants to empower his players to let loose from long range, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News.

As Winfield notes, only one expected rotation player — center Mitchell Robinson — won’t be able to connect on at least an NBA-average three-point conversion rate, provided both Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet are on the club’s standard roster come the regular season.

“I mean if we get 40 [threes] I’m cool with it,” Brown said following a team practice on Friday. “We’ve got a couple of guys that we’ll allow to dance with it and let it go, and they know who they are. But if we play like we’re capable of — with pace, especially spacing, and the paint touches — we should generate a lot of catch-and-shoot threes.”

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During his media day session, Brown spoke positively about Landry Shamet‘s two-way upside. Shamet was rostered with the Knicks last year, but for now is signed to a non-guaranteed Exhibit 9 training camp deal. “Offensively, his pace in the full court, he does a great job sprinting the floor, and he’ll sprint to the corner every single possession,” Brown said when asked about Shamet by Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter video link via New York Basketball). “And when you do that with the ability he has to shoot the ball from deep, it puts a lot of pressure on the defense, and also flattens the defense, because you gotta go with him. And if the defense gets flattened by a shooter, that means the driving lanes [expand].… And then defensively, he’s not afraid, he’ll stick his nose in it and guard whoever he has to guard.”
Nets big man Noah Clowney took the offseason to bulk up, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The 6’9″ big man has packed on added muscle to improve his abilities as a driver, but is hoping not to sacrifice any of his explosiveness. “Yeah, [Clowney] looks great,” coach Jordi Fernández said of the change. “Credit to him and the work he’s put in the whole summer. He looks like a grown man at just 21… His ability to shoot, his size and getting better at playing off two feet in the paint, limiting turnovers and fishing better at the rim. So those things are important for him.”
After dealing with major health issues earlier in his career, new Nets wing Michael Porter Jr. admitted he can’t necessarily count on a lengthy stint in the NBA. “Because of the injuries and stuff, I don’t know how much longer I really want to play,” Porter told Justin Laboy on the Respectfully The Justin Laboy Podcast (YouTube video link; hat tip to Lewis for the transcription). “Like, I want to play as long as I can, but people don’t understand the things I’ve got to go through on a daily basis just to get out on the court and play with the best athletes in the world.” Porter had already undergone three back surgeries by the end of his first three pro seasons and has since dealt with lingering nerve damage even as other health issues pop up. He is owed $78MM across the next two seasons. “I decided all I’m going to do is take it a year at a time,” Porter said. “So I’m committed to basketball and putting my all into it for the next year and then after that, I’m gonna reevaluate.”
The Nets‘ NBAGL affiliate, the Long Island Nets, obtained center David Muoka‘s returning player rights from the Windy City Bulls, Lewis tweets. Long Island surrendered a 2025 G League first-round draft pick and a 2026 second to Windy City, Chicago’s G League affiliate. Muoka was signed and waived earlier this month by Brooklyn and is now on track to join Long Island for the NBAGL season.

Nets Notes: Bufkin, Traore, Saraf, Clowney, Mann

September 27th, 2025 at 11:35am CST by Rory Maher

The Nets selected three prospects — Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf — who project to be point guards in the first round of the 2025 draft. So why did they trade for Kobe Bufkin?

“I don’t think you ever have enough ball-handlers, right? Making plays for others is always important,” explained head coach Jordi Fernandez (story via Brian Lewis of The New York Post).

As Lewis writes, Bufkin was on Brooklyn’s radar in the 2023 draft, but he was selected No. 15 overall, six spots before the Nets picked Noah Clowney. Bufkin also played his college ball at Michigan under Juwan Howard, who is now an assistant coach with the Nets.

“Obviously (Howard) knows the guy, and everything was very positive between Juwan, who knows him and speaks highly and positively about him,” Fernandez said. “We also have our scouting department that knew (him). … We were very high on him during the draft, and it was an opportunity to bring him in. So you put all that together, and that’s the reason why he’s here.”

For his part, Bufkin says he’s happy to be around a familiar face in Brooklyn.

“It’s definitely a big level of comfort. (Howard) is like family,” Bufkin said. “I spent two years with him. He was a mentor for me, kind of taught me about the league before I got to the league, what to expect, what not to expect. So it was good to see him.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Fernandez calls Traore’s speed his “superpower” but he acknowledges the French guard needs to improve in multiple areas to be a regular contributor as a rookie, Lewis writes in a subscriber-only story. “Yeah, there’s no saving here in the NBA. So he’s gotta play really, extremely hard every second he has the opportunity to play,” Fernandez said. “Nothing will be given to him, so they have to earn it. So far, we’re very happy with him. That’s his superpower, but his handle, he understands the game, he’s played in professional leagues for more than one year, so he has that experience, too. And you’ll see it soon. So, I trust him. I trust everything. His shooting, he’s putting time and work into everything and adjusting it to the NBA. It’s just going to take time. But, like I said, the first thing is come here, work and earn your minutes.”
Veterans Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton have been impressed by Saraf’s maturity and poise in training camp, Lewis adds in a third article for The New York Post. The Israeli guard noted he already has three professional seasons under his belt despite only being 19 years old. “I feel like, yeah, playing like it’s going to be my fourth year playing professional, so I’ve got some experience. With playoff games I played with full arenas, so I think it’s helped me,” Saraf said. “And my last teammates, my last vets … I’m trying to learn from each one of them. I don’t feel like a rookie here. I am a rookie, I’ll do all my duties, but it’s basketball, so I’m just going out there and playing.”
Third-year big man Noah Clowney added several pounds of muscle this offseason and he believes his improved strength will help him level up several facets of his game, writes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. Most importantly, Clowney is hoping for improved durability after being limited to just 46 games last season. “My primary goal is just to stay healthy, and outside of staying healthy, just to get better every game,” Clowney said. “I learn something from each game, but I don’t like to make the same mistake over and over again. That’s the goal.”
As Lewis writes for The New York Post (subscription required), trade acquisition Terance Mann is used to being one of the younger players on his NBA teams but he’s currently the oldest Net (he turns 29 next month) on the league’s youngest roster. Fernandez says Mann, who grew up mere blocks away from where Barclays Center now stands, has impressed the team with his leadership. “He showed up and worked every single day, and now he can show others why he’s the type of player he is and he’s accomplished what he’s accomplished,” Fernandez said. “I think leading with your voice is great, but leading by example is even better, and that’s what Terance so far has been doing.”

Atlantic Notes: Porter Jr., Hart, Celtics Lineup, Simons

September 24th, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

Michael Porter Jr. took a back seat offensively with the Nuggets while Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray were the main options. That will change with the Nets, as the rebuilding club will look to Porter as its top crunch-time option, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.

“Over here, it’s going to be completely different, and I have to be ready for that,” Porter said. “I have to be ready to be fresh as a go-to guy in the fourth quarter, and I’m aware of that. So, it’s going to be an adjustment. There’s going to be some growing pains and a growing period. But I’m ready for it.”

General manager Sean Marks confirmed that Porter, who was acquired this offseason, will have an expanded role on his new team.

“He’s another player that has something to prove,” Marks said. “He’s played on a championship team, and obviously, this is going to be a different market, a different environment, and probably different expectations.”

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Knicks forward Josh Hart said he’ll embrace a sixth-man role if that is what new coach Mike Brown chooses but that he “deserves” to start, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post relays. “I had the best year of my career last year, but that’s in the past,” he said. “I think I’m a starter in the league. I think I deserve to be a starter in the league, but at the end of the day, it’s what’s best for the team. Last year, I talked about sacrifice the whole time and kind of being that separate mentality and being a good steward of my gifts and those kinds of things. So I think it would be extremely selfish for me to go out there and demand to start and all those kinds of things. So, whatever Mike wants to do or doesn’t wanna do, I’m cool with. And time will tell what that is, but I’m gonna figure it out.”
Few teams changed their rosters more over the summer than the Celtics, who spent their offseason shedding salary in the aftermath of Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury. The NBC Sports Boston staff made their predictions on what the rest of the lineup will look like on opening night aside from returnees Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
One of the key additions by the Celtics, Anfernee Simons, has an expiring $27.7MM contract. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe opines that the front office shouldn’t be eager to deal the high-scoring guard. While Washburn believes a strong season could earn Simons a contract in the $40MM-per-year range, he thinks the Celtics might be better off determining his impact and potential before making a decision next summer. If it does not go well, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens can always dangle Simons at the February trade deadline.

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