Michael Porter Jr. becoming part of Nets future but a big decision awaits

Michael Porter is relaxing this weekend somewhere in the tropics. One might think that he’s toning down the anxiety from all those trade reports concerning him at the deadline…

Probably not. It become quite obvious during the weeks leading up to the trade deadline that Michael Porter Jr. was not going anywhere, indeed not available. Brian Windhorst said it. Michael Scotto said it. Shams Charania said it and

Jake Fischer said it, all one way or another. While some fans wanted the Nets to trade MPJ for more draft assets — Brooklyn already has 13 firsts and 20 seconds — and/or to deepen the tank.

That was not the way ownership and management looked at the 27-year-old who may not have made the All-Star Game tonight but is having all-Star caliber season: averaging 25.0 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists while providing leadership to a young team. He has even become a fan favorite after some weird podcast performances last summer. Virtually all his numbers are at career highs. Despite the rumors, it has become more than apparent that while the Nets aren’t going to build around him, they want him around for the good times.

This week, Porter himself in a conversation with Tommy Alter and Cam Johnson of Old Man and the Three, indicated in the strongest terms yet that he wants the same thing and despite enduring something he’s been unfamiliar with — losing — he’s ready for the challenge, happy in Brooklyn:

“I think that we are on the right path to being a good team,” Porter said in one of the lesser quoted lines in the hour-long back-and-fourth. “We’re the youngest team in the league. They got a lot of money over there to spend, and they got the most picks. We’re looking at a high draft pick this next season. So I understand the vision of the organization.”

Porter also told the podcast how he wants to see things through to what he calls “a really dope thing” in Brooklyn.

“Sometimes I have to remind myself of that, because I’ve just won a lot of basketball games, and it can be tough because I wanna play winning basketball and compete. If I’m putting my body through all this recovery, all this work, I wanna see the W at the end of the day. But we are building something, and we’re developing really good young players. It’s not far off from being a really dope thing in Brooklyn.”

It shouldn’t be that much of a surprise. He and Jordi Fernandez have re-bonded after spending five years together in Denver, just before the Nuggets won it all. Fernandez made it clear from the moment the Nets got him — and an unprotected first rounder in 2032 — that he was going to be a big piece going forward for his team.

Now, of course, the Nets are approaching some big decisions. The pundits listed above also shared the belief that Sean Marks & co. plan on making big moves this summer, without details other than MPJ is likely part of them. The first component of those plans has been taking shape since last June’s historic, five first round picks. The trade deadline brought minor adjustments, but with the Draft Lottery on May 10 and the Draft itself six weeks beyond that, things will likely go into high gear including a decision on MPJ’s contract extension.

Porter makes $38.3 million this year. The Nets are also on the hook for $40.8 million next season. But on July 6, the mutual love affair will face a milestone. How much will Joe Tsai be willing to spend to extend MPJ beyond 2026-27.

Yossi Gozlan, the free lance capologist who runs capsheets.com and the “Third Apron” podcast, recently laid out the extent of the extension to NetsDaily: four years and max salary projected at four years, $234 million, beginning in 2027-28 when he’ll still be only 29 years old.

“In reality I think he’s looking at something in the 20-25% of the salary cap range.” Gozlan told ND, citing the lack of competition. “As great as he’s been, he’s not going to replicate this production elsewhere since any good team that acquires him probably makes him their second or third option. I could see him getting something closer to four years, $160 million, but it’s way too early to project his next contract.“

For the record, the projected salary cap for 2027-28, is $174.3 million, meaning a starting salary around $44 million.

This is also where the Nets strategy of rebuilding from within comes into play. Next season, the Nets will likely have seven players on rookie deals: Noah Clowney who’ll be on the last year of his rookie deal (and also eligible for an extension starting in 2026-27), the Flatbush Five of Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf in their second or four years, plus whoever they take in the Draft in June. Depending on how high they draft, the total for the seven players, roughly half the team, will be around $40 million, a quarter of the salary cap.

So they’ll have an ability to sign or trade for players AND keep their payroll within reason. (And yes, a lot depends on those seven players, perhaps none more so than the draft pick.)

MPJ of course alluded to that when talking with Alter and Johnson, saying, “we’re developing really good young players.” As for what would make things “really dope in Brooklyn” that no doubt will have to be a superstar who will either develop from all those draft picks or have to be convinced Brooklyn will have enough good players to produce the W’s needed to lure him.

The Nets have kept Porter out of the line-up in recent days, but in discussing his injury, they expressed no real concern about his health which is a long-term issue. He’s been troubled by tendinitis in the same right knee in which he suffered an MCL sprain earlier this season.

“It’s the same knee, but it’s unrelated. Tendonitis is something athletes deal with in different parts of the body,” said Fernández. “It’s good for him to take this game, see how he feels and get him back feeling great. That’s the most important thing. Nothing to be concerned about. A lot of guys deal with it, but it’s good that Mike can focus on his body right now.”

In the meantime, he’s taking time off with the family…

• Did Michael Porter Jr. Hint at Long-Term Future with Nets? – Sameer Kumar – Sports Illustrated