The Denver Nuggets flirted with the idea of trading Michael Porter Jr. for nine-time NBA All-Star wing Paul George in an opt-in and trade scenario earlier in the offseason, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
“Michael Porter Jr.’s big payday in Denver might not have been as big under this new CBA. While Porter helped the Nuggets clinch the 2023 championship, Denver already was flirting with the concept of including Porter in a trade to land Paul George this summer, sources said, although his cap number likely would have been too daunting for the CBA-conscious Clippers to have truly considered if George had opted in to be traded,” Fischer wrote on July 15.
George ultimately opted out and signed a four-year max contract with the Philadelphia 76ers worth $212 million.
Porter Jr. signed a five-year, $207 million max extension with the Nuggets in 2021. He has three years left on the deal which will pay him $35.8 million next season.
The Nuggets swingman is coming off a disappointing finish to his fifth NBA season.
His performance in their second-round loss and their first-round win over the Los Angeles Lakers was night and day.
After punishing the Lakers with 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in the first round, Porter Jr. could not replicate it against the suffocating Minnesota Timberwolves defense which held him to just 11.3 points and 5.4 boards.
Porter took their second-round loss to the Timberwolves hard.
“There are a lot of things we could’ve done differently as a team,” Porter told reporters after their Game 7 loss to the Timberwolves. “But I know if I would’ve played my part, we would’ve won this series. And I’ve got to live with that.”
Off-the-Court Distractions
While Porter did not want his personal problems to be an excuse for his poor performance, he admitted it was at the back of his mind.
“I’m not going to sit here and act like it wasn’t a burden and I wasn’t thinking about it all day every day,” Porter said after the Nuggets’ second-round exit. “But that’s still no excuse. I’m a better player than I played in this series. I’m a better shooter than I shot in this series. In the NBA, you have to be able to separate your off-the-court matters with your on-the-court-play.”
Two of the Nuggets star’s brothers were involved in scandals — Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA for gambling violations and Coban Porter was sentenced to six years in prison for the death of a 42-year-old woman in driving under the influence of alcohol crash last year.
Jontay Porter pleaded guilty on July 10 to a wire fraud conspiracy and was released on a $250,000 bond.
According to CNN, the estimated sentencing guidelines are 41-51 months with the max sentence for wire fraud conspiracy up to 20 years.
Aaron Gordon Leaves Michael Porter Jr. Off Nuggets’ Key Stars
Nuggets power forward Aaron Gordon made an interesting comment about his goals next season, leaving off Porter’s name when referring to the team’s stars.
“I just want to be that three-headed snake for us. I want to take a little more pressure off of Nikola [Jokic] and Jamal [Murray],” Gordon said, per DNVR Sports’ Harrison Wind.
Gordon’s scoring took a dip last season as he averaged 13.9 points from 16.3 points during their championship run in 2023. The versatile forward has only one guaranteed season left on his deal that will pay him $22.8 million next season. He has a player option for the 2025-26 season for the same salary.
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