Michael Porter Jr. has made headlines this offseason, and not because of the trade that sent him from the Denver Nuggets to the Nets. It dominated the news cycle for a couple of weeks, but it wasn't until later that the conversation shifted.
The comments he's made on podcasts have caught fire, partly because it's the slow part of the offseason, and partly because what he's said is stuff you typically wouldn't share publicly. He has discussed a myriad of topics — a hypothetical sports gambling scenario (relating to his brother) to one of the tactics he uses to "test" women.
On Thursday, another one of his recent clips went viral when he revealed what Nikola Jokic texted him after he was traded to Brooklyn.
Porter has had his own podcast, "Curious Mike," for years, so it's not like he's suddenly discovered what it's like to speak into a microphone. He had his fair share of controversial statements while with the Nuggets, but this summer, it seems he's trying to see how often he can go viral for them. It's one thing after another.
The primary motivation for the Nuggets' decision to trade MPJ was to shed his salary by acquiring a significantly cheaper player (they will save $17 million next season). Still, you can bet that the organization is extra thankful that the trade occurred after Porter's comments exploded on social media.
Michael Porter Jr.-Cam Johnson trade is already a win for the Nuggets
Denver fans knew that a Porter trade could happen this offseason, but what they didn't expect was for Cam Johnson to be part of the deal. The Nuggets sent the Nets a first-round pick (an asset that Brooklyn is probably reminding itself it has after hearing what MPJ has said), but the trade was still a win for Denver.
Johnson is a frequent guest on "The Young Man and the Three," and listening to him talk is nothing like listening to MPJ. Porter's podcast isn't focused on basketball the way YM3 is, but still. It's safe to say that Johnson can excel as an analyst after retiring. He speaks so eloquently about basketball, and you can always learn something from him.
Having him on the roster is a breath of fresh air for more than one reason. Johnson hasn't even played in a game yet, but the Nuggets are better off.