Brooklyn is banking on a jump this season, and Michael Porter Jr. is right in the middle of that push.
The Nets have spent the past few years stuck in the lottery, so even a move back toward competitive basketball would mark a shift. But there’s a big line between being frisky and actually looking like a playoff team, and that’s the hurdle Brooklyn may be staring at soon.
Porter, who came over from Denver in a trade for Cam Johnson, is the player most tied to that question. Last season, he didn’t just fill a spot - he stepped in as Brooklyn’s top scorer and delivered a 24.2-point average per game. On a team that wasn’t very good, he flashed the kind of upside that once had people projecting much bigger things before injuries interrupted his rise.
Now comes the harder part.
This season gives Porter his clearest shot yet to prove he can carry real offensive responsibility for a winning team, not just pile up numbers on a losing one. He already has pieces of that resume.
He started on the Nuggets’ title team in 2023, and he also posted a career year for the Nets in 2025-26. What he hasn’t had until now is a chance to put those two truths together.
In Denver, Porter had stretches where it looked like he might get more runway as a scorer, but big moments still belonged to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. That’s not a knock on the Nuggets - it’s just the way that team was built. Still, it left Porter with less room to fully show what he could do when the offense was truly his.
Brooklyn’s hopes this season won’t rest on Porter alone, but they will lean on him heavily. With Julius Randle beside him, the Nets need Porter to be a steady scoring and creating presence throughout all 48 minutes, and especially when games tighten up late.
Whether this turns into a breakthrough year that defines his career in 2027 is still to be seen. What isn’t in doubt is that Porter is about to get the chance.
In Other News...
Mikel Brown Jr. Just Gave The Nets A Real Rotation Decision
The preseason ended on a sour note for Brooklyn with a 144-128 loss to Miami, but rookie guard Mikel Brown Jr. gave the Nets something to think about before the games start counting. Brown was back on the floor after missing time with a sprained left ankle, and in 18 minutes he looked active and involved, giving Brooklyn a small reminder that there may be more to the back end of the rotation than the usual early-season assumptions suggest.
Head coach Jordi Fernndez came away encouraged by Browns communication and engagement, even as he had sharp words for the bigger picture after the game. Brooklyns defense was sloppy enough to draw his frustration, and with the preseason now finished at 3-1, the Nets head into the regular season with one young guard making a case for minutes and a team still trying to clean up the details that were exposed in Miami. [Read more 🡒]
Sean Marks Just Put One Big Expectation On A Key Nets Scorer
Brooklyns first preseason loss arrived after a 3-0 start, and even in defeat there were a few encouraging signs for the Nets to build on. Michael Porter Jr. led the way with 27 points, while Moritz Wagner gave the second unit a lift with 15 points off the bench, adding the kind of energy and floor spacing teams hope to see from a new piece in camp.
Still, the night also fit into a bigger conversation about what Brooklyn needs from Porter beyond scoring. Sean Marks made it clear the Nets want him to grow into a more complete player, with defense and rebounding part of the equation as he settles into a larger role. For a team trying to set standards early in the preseason, that expectation may end up mattering as much as any hot shooting night. [Read more 🡒]
Nolan Traore Is Giving Nets Fans A Real Rotation Debate
Nolan Traore has done enough in preseason to make the Nets backcourt picture a little less tidy than it looked a week ago. With roles still shifting and playing time changing from game to game, Traore has stood out alongside Noah Clowney as one of the young players giving Brooklyn something to think about before the season fully settles in.
What makes Traores case more interesting is that he has produced while not exactly being given a long runway to do it. The Nets still have more pieces to sort through, and another highly touted rookie is looming as a factor once he gets on the floor, which only raises the question of how much room there really is for Traore to keep carving out minutes. [Read more 🡒]