Whether the Michael Porter Jr. card investors out there like it or not, the Denver Nuggets' young forward is out again due to a back injury. This is a huge blow to his stock in the card market after weeks of playing poorly on the court. Now, all those who have invested in his cards can do nothing but wait until he comes back and rises above this challenge.

We take a look below at Porter's card value in the market, why it has been going down, and its outlook in the coming months.

Reasons why Michael Porter Jr. cards are trending down

After missing his first year in the league and playing limited minutes during the next, Porter was finally unleashed last season by the Nuggets. And what a sight it was for basketball fans and collectors who have invested in his rookie cards.

It should be remembered that during Porter's initial foray into the NBA, he posted 9.3 points on efficient shooting splits of 50/42/83 in 16.4 minutes per game. This won't be the case during the following season when Michael Malone unleashed him as one of Denver's starting forwards for most of their matches. Evidently, Porter's numbers leaped to 19 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per contest while connecting 54% of his shots from the field and 44% from deep.

With this kind of performance in just his second year in the NBA, expectations circled around the prospect of Porter ascending into a three-level scorer, similar to how Kevin Durant's career played out. But as fate would have it, Porter's injury luck would stand in the way of his progress and the Nuggets' chances of dominating the Western Conference.

In the nine games Porter played this season, he looked very far from his promising form less than a year ago. Throughout that stretch, he averaged a measly 9.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.1 steals in 29.4 minutes per contest. His shooting efficiency also plummeted to 35% from the field, 20% from downtown, and 55% from the free-throw line. All things considered, these stats and how Porter performs on the court are far from the kind of guy Denver needs to truly become a championship-caliber team.

But that's just one part of the dilemma Michael Porter Jr. card investors are facing right now. Just recently, the Nuggets announced that the 6'10” forward will be out for the foreseeable future because of a back injury. This is the same back that has been operated on, causing Porter to miss his rookie season years ago.

With this kind of health issue affecting Porter's on-court performance, it isn't far-fetched for collectors to be worried about him and his stock. In turn, this fear has caused his rookie cards to go down in the market, which is an unfortunate development due to the fact most folks expected him to take another leap this year.

The outlook on Michael Porter Jr. cards in the market

Porter was among the hottest names in the market during the offseason due to a promising sophomore campaign and the potential to become one of the league's hottest young stars. This trend was very evident before the season began. Last September, his PSA 10 Prizm Silver rookie card was valued at $571 then rose to $999 during the first week of NBA action.

But as high as his peak was, so is Porter's drop to its current value. As of now, the sam gem-mint Prizm Silver rookie card is just worth $295 on eBay. This means that those who purchased the forward's cards months ago are facing a loss to their investment.

As scary as these losses may be, there's still a glimmer of hope down the road. If Porter comes back healthy and performs well for the Nuggets on a consistent basis, his stock will somehow regain its value. This will be the chance for collectors to unload their Michael Porter Jr. cards and get back their investment. For now, the wisest course of action is to hold onto them and focus on other rising stars or proven veterans in the NBA.