Michael Porter Jr. Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Nuggets Notes: Jackson, Porter, Caldwell-Pope, Strawther

November 9th, 2023 at 4:20pm CST by Luke Adams

When Reggie Jackson was waived by Charlotte in February and hit the buyout market, Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo attempted to recruit the veteran guard to Milwaukee, sources tell Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. However, Jackson opted for Denver instead, and both he and the Nuggets are happy about how that decision worked out, as Wind writes.

Jackson didn’t play a major role for the Nuggets during the championship run in the spring, but he has been an important piece of the rotation so far this fall, particularly since Jamal Murray went down with a hamstring injury. Jackson scored 20 points, handed out six assists, and was a plus-12 in a season-high 32 minutes during Wednesday’s three-point victory over the Warriors, earning praise from head coach Michael Malone, who said the 33-year-old has been “fantastic for us.”

The Nuggets raised some eyebrows when they devoted their taxpayer mid-level exception this offseason to a player who wasn’t part of their playoff rotation, but Jackson has benefited from spending the summer in Denver and becoming more familiar with the club’s system. Malone believes Jackson “feels so much more comfortable” this season than he did down the stretch of 2022/23 — and one of the guard’s teammates agrees.

“He spent all offseason in Denver when he could have been moving all around,” Michael Porter Jr. said. “He stayed here, learned our offense, and it’s showing. It’s paying off for him.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

A day after exploring how the Nuggets will weather Murray’s absence, Tony Jones of The Athletic says the team showed off its “depth, hunger, and versatility” in Wednesday’s win over Golden State. Denver has matched its best start in franchise history at 8-1 and Porter’s improved defense has been an important factor in the team’s success, Jones notes. “We want Michael to get to the point where that’s the norm for him,” Malone said. “We want to get to the point where what he’s doing is no longer a surprise.”
Having already expressed a desire to make an All-Defensive team, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope clarified after Wednesday’s game that he actually has a loftier target in his sights. “I got one goal, man, either Defensive Player of the Year or (All-Defensive) First Team,” Caldwell-Pope said, per Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette (Twitter link). “I’m going to continue to push that envelope.”
It’s rare for a team to draft a player at No. 29 who is ready to immediately play rotation minutes, but the Nuggets may have achieved that feat with Julian Strawther, Wind writes for DNVR Sports. While Strawther’s 21-point night vs. New Orleans on Monday in just 19 minutes of action has been an outlier so far (he has 20 points in 52 minutes in his other six appearances), the rookie has impressed coaches and teammates for his confidence and poise.

Northwest Notes: Porter, Camara, Kessler, Chet

November 5th, 2023 at 1:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Grade 3 ankle strain Nuggets small forward Michael Porter Jr. incurred heading into the 2023/24 season remains an issue. Ported admits that his ankle is still less than 100% healed, estimating its recovery level at 75%, tweets Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. The 6’10” vet notes that he is dogged by soreness following games, but adds that it continues to improve.

Porter has remained productive regardless of his ankle’s health, averaging 15.0 PPG on .460/.380/.857 shooting. He’s also contributing 7.9 RPG, 1.9 APG, 0.9 BPG and 0.6 SPG.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Trail Blazers rookie power forward Toumani Camara is emerging as a rotation staple at this early point of the season. Camara even started in the second half of Portland’s Friday win ahead of Matisse Thybulle, Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report tweets.
Following a 115-113 loss to the Magic Thursday, second-year Jazz center Walker Kessler addressed his disappointing start to the season, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune reports. His numbers are down across the board from an All-Rookie 2022/23 campaign, and he’s struggling to control the ball as well as he did last year. “Yeah, you know, I think I gotta get back to just having fun,” Kessler said in addressing how he hopes to bounce back. “Because at the end of the day, it is a game. I’ve got to have fun competing and playing with my teammates and enjoy that, because that’s when I have my most productive games — when I’m trying to win and trying to have fun.”
Warriors star forward Draymond Green was impressed by rookie Thunder center Chet Holmgren during Golden State’s 141-139 last-second win over Oklahoma City, writes Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Chet’s a problem,” Green said. “He can play. He can dribble the ball, he can shoot the ball, has great length, is a great shot blocker. He’s only going to get better. For a young guy like that to have the feel that he has, you don’t see many mistakes out of him. And I thought that was big.” Through six games, the seven-footer is averaging 17.2 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.3 BPG and 1.0 SPG.

Northwest Notes: M. Porter, Gobert, McDaniels, George

October 30th, 2023 at 5:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Michael Porter Jr. had 20 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes against Oklahoma City on Sunday. The Nuggets forward said he’s still recovering from the ankle injury that sidelined him during the preseason.

“My ankle is just starting to feel better. I’m starting to feel more balance in my shot,” Porter told The Denver Post’s Bennett Durando. “And then I didn’t play all preseason. I didn’t really get to finish training camp, so it’s just being out there and getting the feel for it again.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert, no stranger to Defensive Player of the Year trophies, says he feels stronger than ever and believes that with the athletes around him, Minnesota can have the best defense in the league, per Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “We have size. We have guys that can move their feet. We have guys that are dogs, competitors,” Gobert said. “Those three things, you put them together, why wouldn’t you want us to be the best defensive team in the league with all those weapons?”
Jaden McDaniels will make his debut against Atlanta tonight, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic tweets. The Timberwolves forward has been dealing with a left calf injury. He signed a five-year rookie scale extension a week ago.
Jazz rookie Keyonte George is getting acclimated to the NBA game, including back-to-backs. He admitted he was “gassed” after playing on consecutive nights, he told Sarah Todd of the Deseret News. “I’m honest with myself and yeah, I was kind of gassed,” George said. “So now that tells me I’ve gotta get more into shape…(Coach Will Hardy) wants us to play extremely hard but the goal is to not be tired. If you’re not tired, you don’t come out of the game and you can impact winning.” The 16th pick of the draft is averaging 19.3 minutes per game.

Nuggets GM: Comments On Hyland, MPJ Weren’t Intended For “Public Consumption”

October 18th, 2023 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on ESPN2 on Tuesday night, Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth was asked about comments he made recently to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer about Bones Hyland and Michael Porter Jr. While he didn’t dispute the accuracy of his quote, Booth indicated he didn’t expect it to show up in O’Connor’s story.

“Under no circumstances would I make or approve of those kind of comments for public consumption,” Booth said (Twitter link via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports). “It’s not my character as a person or executive, and I think it’s an unfair characterization of Michael and Bones.

“I think Bones is a great kid, has a bright future ahead of him, a charismatic player in our game. And obviously Michael is a core piece of our program with his character and offensive and defensive prowess. So I think that was unfair for those things to be put out there and hopefully it doesn’t happen in the future.”

Addressing the Nuggets’ decision to trade Hyland at last season’s deadline, Booth had candidly explained his thinking to O’Connor.

“I knew you couldn’t have two guys that couldn’t guard, and we couldn’t have two guys that were young and kind of more ‘me guys,'” he said. “Mike makes $30 million. He’s one of the best shooters in the NBA. So, Bones, there’s no place for you.”

While those comments don’t come off as particularly flattering to either Hyland or Porter, O’Connor clarified on Twitter that he didn’t view them, in context, as a shot at either player.

“Being a ‘me guy’ wasn’t a knock,” O’Connor wrote. “You want at least one guy who can shoot without any fear from anywhere. It’s part of what makes MPJ special, there was just too much of the same. Plus MPJ improved (defensively), as written about in the context of the article.”

Based on Booth’s comments on Tuesday, it sounds like he believed he was speaking off the record when he discussed his thinking for trading Hyland. While his frank assessment was refreshing when compared to typical executive-speak, the fact that he’s already walking it back suggests that he’ll be more guarded when talking to reporters in the future.

Nuggets Notes: Watson, Porter Jr., Murray, Braun, Jordan, Nnaji

October 9th, 2023 at 8:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets forward Peyton Watson isn’t lacking for confidence. He feels he’ll have a breakout season, he told Harrison Wind of TheDnvr.com. Watson is looking to be a rotation player and earn an invite to the Rising Stars game on All-Star weekend.

“I feel like I’m one of the best second-year guys in the league,” he said.

Watson keeps close tabs on Nikola Jokic and wants to emulate the superstar center’s approach.

“I literally watch everything he does,” Watson said. “He never takes any shortcuts. He does everything the right way every day. He doesn’t cut any corners. I really watch all those things because I want to be on that level one day. I feel like I can be an All-NBA player one day. And I take it very seriously. So I watch everything he does. I admire his game and I admire what he does to have his game on that level.”

We have more on the Nuggets:

Michael Porter Jr. is unlikely to play in Denver’s preseason opener on Tuesday due to an ankle injury. Jamal Murray and Christian Braun were both limited at practice on Monday, coach Michael Malone told Wind and other media members (Twitter links). Murray has a mild hamstring issue while Braun has a calf injury.
Jokic’s backup could vary depending upon the opponent and situation, according to Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. DeAndre Jordan and Zeke Nnaji are the two candidates. “I think sometimes it will be dependent on who we’re playing,” Malone said. “There are a few teams in the Western Conference that play really big, and those could be great games for D.J. We love the defensive versatility that Zeke brings in terms of being able to switch one through five. So having the balance of using either one of those guys depending on who you’re playing I think is helpful for us.”
Jordan, who re-signed with the Nuggets on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal, is unconcerned about his playing time, Durando adds. “I want to win basketball games. I want to win another championship,” he said. “I want to win with this group of guys. And we all have different pieces that make this machine work. Whoever’s out there, they give us the best chance to win. … I think this group last year was big on being selfless. And if it’s Zeke’s night, I’m going to be the first one that’s cheering for him because I want him to be successful.”

Nuggets Notes: Braun, Holiday, Porter, Malone, Title Defense

October 5th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Maher

In a lengthy interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Nuggets wing Christian Braun discussed a number of topics, including an opportunity for an expanded role in his second season following the free agency departure of Bruce Brown. When asked how Denver could mitigate the loss of Brown, Braun said he’s ready to step up to the plate.

“I was fortunate enough to learn a lot from him and from KCP (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope),” Braun said. “I was fortunate enough to be around guys who are similar to me in a lot of ways. Bruce and I are similar in a lot of ways, but we’re also different. We bring different things to the court, whether it’s defensive intensity, transition scoring or being a pest. We’re similar, so I think I can fill that role pretty easily.

“Obviously, he’s a great player and did a lot of great things for us in big moments, too. So there is definitely some expanding to my game that I need to do. But with watching him and his effort every night, I think that’s a big reason why he was so good. That’s also something that I’m really good at, so I think I will fit into that role well.”

As far as his goals for 2023/24, Braun said he’s more focused on helping the Nuggets defend their title than earning individual accolades.

“My goals stay the same,” Braun told Medina. “We’re no individual. We’ll make sure we win as a team. We’ll emphasize on starting off on the right foot, get the No. 1 seed and make sure everybody knows our goal is the same. We’re not satisfied with one. We’re trying to turn this thing into a dynasty. We’re trying to turn it into something consistent every year so that we’re consistently fighting for a championship every year.

“It’s not about my individual goals. I do know I’m going to have a bigger role this year. But I know what comes with that. I know we’ll compete for a championship for the next few years.”

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Veteran wing Justin Holiday is already making an impact with his new team and is pleased with his decision to join the Nuggets in free agency, writes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “My game is made for the way the Denver Nuggets play,” Holiday said. “This organization is a championship-caliber organization. Obviously, they just won, but how they do things, what they expect from us, and that’s something I appreciate. After the organization, the players. No egos. You’ve got the best player in the world, the best few players in the world, and guys are cool on the court. They put you in actions with them.” Holiday signed a one-year, minimum-salary deal with Denver this offseason.
Forward Michael Porter Jr. sustained a left ankle sprain during Wednesday’s practice and left the gym in a walking boot, Wind adds in the same story. A source tells Wind that the Nuggets aren’t concerned with the injury, but it wouldn’t be surprising if Porter rests a few days for precautionary reasons.
After the Lakers said they were motivated by Denver’s trash talk after being swept in the Western Conference Finals, Nuggets head coach Michael Malone dismissed any friction and is focused on the present, not the past. “Oh, they’re talking about us? That was what, four months ago?” Malone said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “I can’t speak for anybody in L.A., but if they’re still worried about us, that’s on them. This is a new season, a new challenge, and it was a hell of a series against them. I know it was a 4-0 sweep, but all those games seemed like they went down to the wire. We have tremendous respect for that team. I have tremendous respect for Darvin Ham as a coach and the job that he did. But yeah, I don’t listen to any of that stuff. I don’t know what they’re saying, and if we’re on their minds, then I guess that’s on them.”
The Nuggets are focused on defending their championship by maintaining their strong work ethic and team play, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic. “If we want to try and be the team that can repeat, and the team that can be a dynasty, we have to have a standard of excellence each and every day,” Malone said. “And it’s going to be my job to hold the guys accountable when we’re not playing well.”

Nuggets Notes: Championship, Porter, Gordon, Booth

June 13th, 2023 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets‘ championship victory on Monday represented a major financial boon for a pair of the team’s forwards.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, the final year of Michael Porter Jr.‘s five-year contract with the Nuggets is now fully guaranteed. Previously, only $12MM of Porter’s $40.8MM cap hit for 2026/27 had been guaranteed, but since Porter appeared in at least 62 games (plus 75% of Denver’s playoff contests) and the club won a title, he’s assured of the full $40.8MM.

Meanwhile, Aaron Gordon earned a $1MM bonus as a result of the championship, Marks tweets. That will bump Gordon’s cap charge for 2023/24 from $21.2MM to $22.2MM, since that $1MM incentive will now be considered “likely” (rather than unlikely) for next season. However, the Nuggets wouldn’t be on the hook for that bonus money next season unless they win another title.

Here’s more on the NBA’s new champions:

Porter averaged just 9.6 points per game on .328/.143/.750 shooting in five NBA Finals games, but his performance showed that he’s capable of contributing in other ways, which bodes well for his future development, writes Nick Kosmider of The Athletic. Porter grabbed 13 rebounds in Game 1 and again in Game 5, matching his season high.
After playing a major part in helping the Nuggets secure the first title in franchise history, star guard Jamal Murray said on Monday that he believes the club is capable of winning more championships with this core. “I knew once we were healthy, we could do it,” Murray, who missed all of the 2021/22 season due to a torn ACL, told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “So this was long overdue. … I think this is the first of many.”
Sam Amick and Tony Jones of The Athletic take a look at all the moves and decisions that led to Denver’s first championship, including the promotion of assistant GM Calvin Booth after the departure of veteran executive Tim Connelly in 2022. “When Tim left, I remember talking to (Nuggets governor) Josh (Kroenke), and saying, ‘Listen, this is your call, Josh, but what I’m telling you as a head coach who has been here for seven years, we’re heading in the right direction, I really hope that Calvin Booth is given the opportunity to take over,'” Michael Malone told The Athletic. “I said, ‘I know him, he knows me. He knows our players. He knows you.’ (Booth) did a great job of taking all that and saying, ‘OK, we’re in a good spot. But how do we go from good to great? How do we make this even better?’ And Calvin had the balls to do that, man.”
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype and Bobby Marks of ESPN (Insider link) preview the roster and contract issues facing the Nuggets this offseason, including Bruce Brown‘s potential free agency and Jamal Murray’s extension eligibility. In case you missed it, Brown expressed a desire to remain in Denver following Monday’s victory.

Nuggets Win First Title, Jokic Named MVP

June 12th, 2023 at 10:23pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nuggets secured their first championship on Monday night, completing a 4-1 series victory over the Heat with a 94-89 victory. The Nuggets joined the NBA in 1976 after the league’s merger with the ABA.

Nikola Jokic, the league’s two-time Most Valuable Player in the regular season, was named the MVP of the Finals, NBA Communications tweets. He had 28 points, 16 rebounds and four assists in the clinching victory. For the series, Jokic averaged 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists per night.

Jokic and the team’s other star, Jamal Murray, carried the Nuggets throughout the playoffs. However, the team’s role players made some of the biggest plays in Game 5.

Bruce Brown had the go-ahead put-back in the late going and hit clinching free throws. In between, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had a key steal and made two clutch free throws.

Denver is well-positioned to make a run at back-to-back titles and beyond. Jokic, Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. are all signed through at least the 2024/25 season. Caldwell-Pope has two more years left on his contract, though he can opt out next summer.

There’s a good chance Brown will go elsewhere. He will almost certainly decline his $6.8MM option and the team doesn’t own his Bird rights, limiting its ability to offer much of a raise.

Jeff Green and a handful of other veteran reserves will be unrestricted free agents, though the Nuggets have some quality young players on rookie contracts poised to take on bigger roles, including Christian Braun and Peyton Watson.

The Heat have some key players entering free agency, most notably Gabe Vincent, Max Strus and Kevin Love.

With the Finals decided, the 2023 NBA offseason is officially underway. The draft will be held in 10 days with free agency beginning the following week.

Nuggets Notes: Potential Dynasty, Jackson, Reserves, Kamagate

June 12th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nuggets are one victory away from their first NBA title, but they have the foundation in place to win several more, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger notes that the team’s core players are all in their prime with Nikola Jokic at 28, Aaron Gordon at 27, Jamal Murray at 26 and Michael Porter Jr. at 24. All four are signed for at least two more seasons, and Denver isn’t facing any significant tax issues despite having three max contracts.

The only expected loss from this year’s rotation is Bruce Brown, a free agent addition last summer, who’s expected to turn down his $6.8MM player option and test the market again. The Nuggets don’t own Brown’s Bird rights and won’t be able to compete with the offers he’s likely to receive.

They may be in the same position with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope next year, Hollinger adds. Denver worked out an extension with the veteran guard after acquiring him from Washington, but he has a $15.4MM player option for 2024/25 that he might decide to decline.

Hollinger points out that Nuggets have navigated the cap by amassing young talent on affordable contracts. Late first-round picks Christian Braun and Peyton Watson will make a combined $4.5MM next season, and they both appear ready to become consistent rotation pieces.

There’s more from Denver:

Reggie Jackson hasn’t played much since signing with the Nuggets after a trade and a buyout in February, but the 33-year-old guard is happy to still be in the league, per Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Jackson thought about retiring when he was with the Pistons as persistent ankle injuries kept him off the court. “I can’t believe I’m here now,” he said. “Especially after Detroit, I wasn’t sure I wanted to play anymore and then being resurrected in L.A. (with the Clippers). The build-up there, the fun there. Then being traded, it’s coming full circle.”’
Denver’s bench players have contributed to the championship run by not making waves about their playing time, observes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Jackson, DeAndre Jordan, Thomas Bryant, Ish Smith and others have been content with limited minutes and sometimes none at all. Jones adds that the only Nuggets player who has been unhappy with his role this season was Bones Hyland, who was traded in February.
Ismael Kamagate, whom the Nuggets selected with the 46th pick last year, is finalizing an agreement to play for EA7 Emporio Armani Milan next season, tweets Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. A recent report indicated that he likely wasn’t in Denver’s plans for 2023/24.

Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Murray, MPJ, Braun, Green

June 8th, 2023 at 10:59pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Thanks to their stellar playoff performances to this point, Nuggets stars Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are laying claim to being the league’s most fearsome twosome, opines Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports.

During last night’s Game 3 Denver victory, Jokic and Murray made NBA history when they became the only teammates to ever record 30-point triple-doubles in the same game.

“I’d say it’s a trust and a feel, that’s the best way for me to put it,” Murray said of his collaboration with the two-time MVP. “It’s not really X’s and O’s. It’s just reading the game and trusting that the other is going to make the right play.”

Jokic is averaging a triple-double of 30.5 points, 13.4 rebounds, and 10.1 assists through his 18 playoff games this year. For his part, Murray has recorded 27.4 PPG, 6.8 APG and 5.7 RPG.

There’s more out of Denver:

Nuggets rookie swingman Christian Braun enjoyed a breakout performance in Game 3, racking up 15 points and four boards while also holding his own on defense, often against All-NBA Heat wing Jimmy Butler. The 6’7″ shooting guard made an outsized impact off the bench in a critical victory, writes Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. “I mean, the guys just trusted me all year,” Braun said. “So when I get in the game, I try to defend, do the little things … obviously, [the stars] make it easier on me, my job’s not very hard.” Prior to Game 3, Braun’s playoff high was nine points against the Timberwolves.
Nuggets starting small forward Michael Porter Jr. has the support of head coach Michael Malone despite having a rough two-way run in the Finals thus far, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “Michael Porter isn’t making shots right now, and we know he is a great shooter,” Malone said. “But we believe in Michael. He is our starting small forward. I have zero doubt he is going to have a very big game coming up here that is going to help us win this championship.” Through these first three contests, Porter is averaging just 7.0 PPG on .258/.158/1.000 shooting splits across 30.3 MPG. He had his worst outing of the series on Wednesday, scoring just two points on 1-of-7 shooting from the floor.
Nuggets reserve forward Jeff Green is making the most of his second Finals appearance, per Marc J. Spears of Andscape. Green also suited up for the 2018 Finals as a role player with the Cavaliers, though that team was swept by the Warriors. Now, the heavily favored Nuggets lead the Heat 2-1. “I know who’s across that hall,” Green said. “So, I’m just living in the moment, relishing this moment. Because as you know, 16 years for me, second time here, they don’t come often. So we’re just appreciating everything.”