Michael Malone "couldn't disagree more" with Michael Porter Jr. after brutal playoffs

There’s no denying that Michael Porter Jr. had a disappointing series against the Timberwolves as the Nuggets lost in seven games. The whole team underwhelmed for the most part and there was plenty of blame to go around and a laundry list of reasons why the team was bounced out of the Western Conference Semifinals.

But Porter Jr. was notably quiet and found it difficult to create any space to get open. When he did get the ball he wasn’t able to hit open shots and essentially became a net negative on the court for the Nuggets. By the end of the series, Malone was playing Christian Braun over Porter Jr. in closing lineups.

It’s not fair to pin everything on Porter Jr. as he was excellent in the Lakers series and was dealing with a preposterous amount of off-court distractions in his personal life as three different brothers of his were dealing with life-altering legal issues. Porter Jr. spoke elegantly about the situation and refused to make excuses, but it was surely weighing heavily on him.

After the series came to a close, Porter Jr. publicly apologized for his performance and placed the blame on himself. He was clearly off his game, and he had a rough NBA Finals and conference finals last season as well. It’s a tough performance from a guy who signed a 5-year rookie max contract in 2021 which still has three years remaining.

Michael Porter Jr. the subject of trade rumors

Trade rumors have already been swirling, as Porter Jr. could be the odd man out as the team looks to improve while paying big bucks for Jokic, Gordon, and Murray in the near future. Porter Jr. still has trade value at just 25 years old, but getting off of his contract could help the Nuggets balance the roster and create longevity.

But Nuggets’ coach Michael Malone spoke to the media on Thursday and came to Porter’s defense, stating that he disagreed with MPJ’s comments, that the Nuggets win and lose as a team, and that they would not have beaten the Lakeres without him.

It’s admirable by Malone, but this is also classic coach-speak. Of course, regardless of what Malone thinks he is going to build up his players and shower them with confidence. It’s a good and smart tactic, as the team will need a rejuvenated MPJ back next season, and if they end up trading the 6’10” sharpshooter, they’ll want to maximize his value on the market.