The 2025 NBA playoffs got off to a rough start for Michael Porter Jr. In game one of the Nuggets’ first-round series against the Clippers, MPJ made just one shot, scoring 3 points to go along with 4 rebounds on just 1/4 shooting from the field.
Beyond the wretched stat line, Porter Jr. was disconnected, lacking energy, and just seemed out of it. Things got bad enough that he was ultimately benched after playing just 26 minutes, and David Adelman opted to go with Russell Westbrook for the 4th quarter and overtime of a 112-110 Nuggets victory.
David Adelman and Nikola Jokic were both asked about MPJ after Game 1 and essentially called him out for his lack of energy. There was plenty of uncertainty about how Mike would respond, and he came out with a great performance in Game 2, putting up 15 points and 15 rebounds.
Unfortunately, Porter Jr. committed a brutal turnover down the stretch in that game, then injured himself diving on the floor, trying to atone. He gutted it out in Game 3, but laid an egg - as did the entire team - and looked like he could barely move his left arm. After the game, he said he was operating at about 20-30%.
It looked like MPJ, and perhaps the Nuggets in general, were cooked at that point, but as is often the case, they played their best when things looked bleakest. Denver won Games 4 and 5 with MPJ playing with one arm, and scoring a combined 31 points on 7/12 three-point shooting.
Nuggets need consistent production from MPJ on a nightly basis
Now, with the Nuggets leading 3-2 in the series, on the cusp of a Western Conference Semifinals showdown with the Thunder, it’s time for Porter Jr. to earn his salary and prove to the team’s decision-makers that he deserves to be a part of the Nuggets’ future.
Due to his massive contract (he signed a 5-year, $179 million extension in 2021) and relative lack of improvement, Porter Jr. has been at the center of trade rumors for the past few transaction cycles. His salary makes him an obvious piece to move, as he has essentially been a very highly-paid role player.
The team hoped that Mike would take a leap this season, but we haven’t seen that on either end of the floor. He’s a very solid player and an elite shooter, especially for his size, but not much more than that. When the Nuggets shockingly cleaned house, firing GM Calvin Booth and Head Coach Michael Malone in the final week of the season, speculation immediately ramped up that Porter Jr. would be the first player moved in the offseason.
Yet, lo and behold, the Nuggets are still playing, just one win away from the second round. These next few days (and hopefully, weeks) are a huge opportunity for Porter Jr. to step up and prove that he should be part of the team’s long-term plans.
Nuggets have no chance against OKC without a better MPJ
There’s a chance that Denver can close out the Clippers without Porter Jr. playing a major role, but to actually make a deep playoff run, that’s not possible. The Nuggets don’t have enough talent and depth around Jokic and Murray to compete with elite teams without a true third star on offense, and that has to be Porter Jr.
Mike has the ability to get hot and take over a game with his movement shooting in a way that few others in the NBA can. He needs to channel that and get hot. If he can really go off and carry the offense for stretches while putting up big numbers, that would be huge, but most of all, he just needs to be consistent.
They can’t have Porter Jr. scoring in single digits as he has in two of the five games in round one so far. He has to be up around 20 points or more each game and has to attack the glass and contribute with rebounding as well. He’s not going to turn into an elite defender overnight, but he can battle and use his size and athleticism to, at least, not be a liability.
If he can raise his game and look like a player who makes $35+ million for the rest of these playoffs, that would be a major boon for the Nuggets and should be enough to give them a real chance to win every game they play. It would also be a great audition for the future and would show that Porter Jr. is committed to the cause and a guy who can consistently impact winning at the highest level.
If not, the Nuggets are likely toast. Maybe not this round, but they won’t last much longer. Adelman will continue trying to squabble together minutes and lineups to survive, and the enormous offensive burden will continue to fall on the shoulders of Jokic and Murray. This would likely be all that the next GM of the team needs to see to decide that swapping Porter Jr. for depth is the obvious next move.