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The Denver Nuggets' 2020 playoff run in the bubble was one for the history books, and they aim to make their mark in the ever-so-tough Western Conference this year and beyond. However, Michael Porter Jr. needs to become the star they thought he would be if Denver hopes to contend.
The Nuggets lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals after overcoming back-to-back 3-1 deficits against the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Clippers. Unfortunately, the Lakers were too much for the Nuggets, and for everyone else for that matter.
Denver then lost forward Jerami Grant to the Detroit Pistons in free agency as Grant signed a three-year $60 million deal. Grant has blossomed into a legitimate scorer and is a prime candidate for Most Improved Player.
The loss of Grant was huge for the Nuggets, but the franchise believes MPJ can take the next step and be the presumed star everyone thought he would be coming out of college. While the Nuggets are really close to being a Finals contender, Porter needs to make strides and become the star-in-waiting they hope he can be.
Injuries, Injuries, Injuries
Michael Porter Jr. was one of the most highly touted prospects coming out of high school and ended up committing to Washington, but then he decommitted after head coach Lorenzo Romar was fired and ended up going to Mizzou to play where his father was on the coaching staff.
The youngster hurt himself in the season opener and required back surgery, and he never got a chance to prove to be the star everyone had hoped for. He came back for just two games, including one in the NCAA Tournament, but ended up coming off the bench in both games.
Porter's talent was obvious, but NBA teams worried about his health issues, which caused him to drop to 14th overall in 2018. The Nuggets couldn't help but take a chance on one of the most talented players in the entire class at that point.
Porter then underwent another back surgery in 2018 and wound up making his long-awaited NBA debut in October 2019.
Michael Porter Jr.'s star potential
Despite the injuries, Michael Porter Jr. still has that star potential. While his rookie season was marred by inconsistent playing time, questionable shot selection and poor defense, flashes of his immense talent were also on display. He hit his stride in the bubble and was a huge part of the Denver run in Orlando, where he had 12 games with double-digit scoring and was named to the All-Bubble Second Team.
So far in 2020-2021, Porter has gotten off to a hot start despite missing time due to the NBA's health and safety protocols, something that has become the norm in the era of COVID-19. He is averaging 18.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per game. But even with the small sample size of eight games and four starts, it's a huge boost for this Nuggets squad:
Michael Porter Jr is a nice offensive boost for this Nuggets team pic.twitter.com/qJl3kUri1u
— Off the Glass (@otgbasketball) January 23, 2021
Porter is shooting an incredible 55.6 percent from the field and 47.1 percent from beyond the arc. He is scoring efficiently from all over the court, making him a dangerous threat at all three levels. Of course, playing with Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic is always helpful, but Porter is off to a terrific start and can propel Denver going forward.
The Nuggets recently played the Dallas Mavericks in a highly anticipated MVP matchup between Jokic and Luka Doncic. Instead, it was Porter who stole the show and went off against Dallas. He had 30 points with eight boards and a pair of steals, including a dagger triple, in just his third game back after missing 10 games:
Michael Porter Jr!
30 PTS (10/18 FG), 8 REB, 6 3PT, 2 STL in 28 MINS off the bench pic.twitter.com/kOggwRIhp3
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 26, 2021
The talent is there and Porter is still only 22 years old, so his game will only get better even more so with two stars next to him and as he continues to get more comfortable in the NBA. He has always been heralded as an offensive star thanks to his scoring ability at 6-foot-10, making him extremely hard to guard for other forwards around the league. The Kevin Durant comparison is looking more and more legitimate as Porter lights up the NBA with his scoring.
Porter's quickness is through the roof and his ability to shoot the ball keeps getting better and better, which is a scary sign for the West and for the teams that passed on him in the draft. The talent was never questioned despite the injuries, but the rise and progress of Porter will be huge for Michael Malone's team on its quest for a trip to the NBA Finals.
If the Nuggets want to be a serious threat to win it all, Michael Porter Jr. needs to become that consistent third star the Nuggets had hoped he would be coming out of Mizzou. Right now, his development is on the right track.
