Michael Porter Jr. didn’t just need a fresh start - he’s making the most of it in Brooklyn, and the entire league is taking notice.
After being moved by the Denver Nuggets in what looked like a straight-up salary dump this past summer, Porter has emerged as the focal point of a Brooklyn Nets team that was widely expected to be among the NBA’s worst. Instead, he’s flipped the script.
Through 21 games, Porter is averaging 25.6 points per night on efficient .497/.399/.813 shooting splits. That’s not just a hot streak - that’s star-level production, and it’s coming from a player many had written off as a secondary piece.
What’s striking isn’t just the volume - it’s how he’s getting his buckets. Porter has always been a gifted scorer, but in Brooklyn, his off-ball game has gone to another level.
He’s slipping screens, curling off handoffs, cutting backdoor, and reading defenders with the kind of timing and precision that forces defenses into uncomfortable decisions. As Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel put it: “Gravity is the buzzword.”
That gravity - the attention Porter commands even when he doesn’t have the ball - is reshaping the Nets' offensive identity.
“He is one of the best, if not the best, off-ball players in this league,” Hetzel added. “The way he’s able to read how he’s being guarded, seal switches, slip to the rim, slip out and curl off of Nic from the top of the key... The degree of difficulty of shotmaking is elite.”
That’s not hyperbole. Porter’s shot profile is loaded with high-difficulty looks - contested threes, quick-trigger jumpers off movement, finishes in traffic - and he’s converting at a rate that puts him in elite company.
He’s currently one of just five players in the league averaging at least 25 points on 49% shooting from the field and 39% from deep. The others?
Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. That’s MVP-level territory.
And if you want a stat that really pops: Porter just became the first forward in NBA history to notch four straight games with 30 points and five made threes. Only five other players have ever done that - and they’re all guards known for their perimeter firepower: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Damian Lillard, Anthony Edwards, and Gary Trent Jr.
What’s powering this leap? Credit goes to first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez, who’s built the Nets’ offense around Porter’s strengths. Fernandez has leaned into Porter’s movement shooting and off-ball instincts, designing plays that free him up despite constant face-guarding and defensive pressure.
“I think Jordi is a genius of a coach,” Porter said. “He’s a genius in terms of the schemes he puts out, especially offensively for me...
The different creative ways that Jordi has our team running plays to help me get touches and looks off, it's really next level. He’s making it so easy for me to play my game.”
That synergy between coach and player has been a revelation for a Nets team that started the season 0-7 but has since gone 7-11 - not great, but a significant improvement for a squad many expected to bottom out. And here’s where it gets interesting: the better Porter plays, the more complicated Brooklyn’s decision-making becomes.
The Nets acquired Porter and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick from Denver in exchange for Cam Johnson, a move that screamed long-term rebuild. But Porter’s breakout has made him not just a trade asset - he’s a potential cornerstone.
At 27, he’s young enough to fit a rebuilding timeline but experienced enough to lead a team now. And with the Houston Rockets holding an unprotected swap on Brooklyn’s 2027 first-rounder, the Nets have incentive to remain competitive sooner rather than later.
So what’s next? Brooklyn could shop Porter ahead of the trade deadline, capitalizing on his soaring value to boost their draft capital and improve their lottery odds. They’re currently sixth in the draft order, but Porter’s presence alone threatens to push them further up the standings - and further down the lottery board.
Nets assistant Steve Hetzel says Michael Porter Jr is one of the best off-ball players in the NBA:
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) December 14, 2025
"He's our stabilizer on the offensive end... The way he’s able to read how he’s being guarded, seal switches, slip to the rim, slip out and curl off of Nic from the top of the key.… pic.twitter.com/Jz8Q7dPhmE
On the flip side, keeping him could be the move if the franchise sees him as part of its next core. He’s already shown he can carry the scoring load and elevate teammates with his off-ball gravity. And as Fernandez noted, there’s still room to grow.
“We have him here because we believe in him,” Fernandez said. “We know how good he is, and we believe we can develop him… Mike [can] keep getting better. I think his ceiling is even higher.”
Whether Brooklyn chooses to ride Porter’s hot hand or cash in while the market’s hot, one thing is clear: Michael Porter Jr. isn’t just surviving in his new role - he’s thriving. And the rest of the league is watching.