LeBron James’ move to the Philadelphia 76ers has already started to reshape the rest of the league, and the Brooklyn Nets could end up feeling it in a different way than most.
James’ decision forced the NBA to keep moving on schedule - Commissioner Adam Silver said he needed James to choose a team so the 2026-27 slate could be finalized. Around the league, teams that had been waiting on James had to prepare fallback plans. The Cleveland Cavaliers, who were closely linked to him throughout the process, already moved by signing Mario Hezonja from overseas.
Brooklyn hasn’t been hit directly yet, but that may not last. James is now in the division, which means the Nets will see him four times next season alongside Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and Joel Embiid. And beyond the games themselves, there’s another layer: the teams that missed out on James will now start hunting for the next best option.
That’s where Michael Porter Jr. enters the picture.
Porter is extension eligible this offseason, though any talk of a new deal is still in the early stages. He’s also been in trade rumors since arriving in Brooklyn, but actually making a move is a much tougher proposition.
The Nets liked the idea of James because he would have come on a cheap deal. Porter is a different case entirely.
He’s in his prime and will be looking for something much closer to the maximum.
Even so, Brooklyn has interest in keeping him long term. The front office values his scoring and rebounding, and while he’s already 28, the Nets still see a veteran who can help guide a younger group. The timing isn’t perfect, but that kind of production is hard to replace.
For now, the most likely path is that Brooklyn holds onto Porter unless he asks out. He doesn’t have to sign an extension this offseason, and the more realistic scenario may be that the Nets wait until the 2027 trade deadline to decide whether to extend him or move him.
That decision also sits against the backdrop of the new lottery rules, which mean Brooklyn can’t finish as one of the league’s worst three teams. Without Porter, there isn’t an elite scorer to absorb the offensive burden.
And if teams start looking for a player who can approximate James’ impact, the Nets could get calls. The Golden State Warriors had been committed to pairing James with Stephen Curry, and with their championship window shrinking, they may be desperate to land another star.
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