Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. came to the Nets this offseason with the goal of showing that he could do more on the floor than what his reputation around the league suggested. So far, Porter has been playing at an All-Star level for Brooklyn and while there are trade rumors surrounding him, he wants to stick around for longer than a few months.
“Yeah, I love it here. I love the staff, I love the energy of practice,” Porter said when asked about his long-term thinking, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. The Nets made an interesting decision this past summer when they traded for Porter and a 2032 first-round pick from the Denver Nuggets, but the move appears to be paying off at the moment.
“Everyone gets along and has great vibes and great energy around the facility. So whatever team wants and appreciates what I bring to the table, then that’s where I want to be. And I feel like they do here,” Porter continued. Porter is having the best season of his career thanks to being put in a position by head coach Jordi Fernandez to carry more of the offensive load than he did with the Nuggets.
Porter, 27, is averaging 26.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 50.1% from the field and 40.3% from three-point land in 20 games played. Not only is Porter on pace to notch career-highs in most statistical categories while maintaining his career-average efficiency, but he is also showing that there is more depth to his game outside of shooting the ball.
While Porter has been playing well for the Nets to begin this season, there are some around the league who believe Porter’s value to the team is rooted in what he could fetch in a potential trade. Whether Porter finishes this season in Brooklyn is left to be seen, the former Missouri Tiger has made it clear that he’s enjoying his time in Brooklyn and wants to stick around to see this rebuild through to its conclusion.