David Zalubowski/Associated Press
Michael Porter Jr. will continue to be with the only NBA team that he knows for the foreseeable future.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the forward and Denver Nuggets agreed to a five-year extension of their max contract that could potentially be worth up to $207 million.
After the Nuggets announced that they had purchased the option on his original contract for the 2021-22 seasons, this is a significant development. He was also eligible for restricted agency until he reached this agreement.
It's not surprising that Denver signed Porter to an extension. After losing to the Phoenix Suns in round two of the 2021 playoffs, Tim Connelly, president of basketball operations suggested that it would be a priority.
"Connelly stated that it was the team's intention to sign players as soon as possible regarding MPJ's early extension," Mike Singer, of the Denver Post, tweeted in June. "Said they'll sit with his representative. It was their goal to get things done sooner than later, Indicated.
Porter's injury history, which cost him most of his collegiate season at Missouri, meant that the Nuggets decided to take a chance on Porter and selected him as the 14th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft.
Due to back surgery, he missed what would have been his rookie season. However, he displayed flashes of why Denver selected him in the first round of 2019-20. He averaged 9.3 points per contest behind 42.2 percent three-point shooting. He also reached double figures in a playoff run to reach the Western Conference Finals.
Porter was still a young star, but it wasn't until 2020-21 that he became a household name.
He averaged 19.0 points per game and 7.3 rebounds per contest while shooting 44.5 percent from the deep. After Jamal Murray's ACL tear on April 12, he assumed more responsibility for the offense. He scored over 20 points 12 times, and more than 30 times the following 15 games.
Porter scored 25 points or more in three of six games in Denver's win over Portland Trail Blazers in the first round playoff.
The deal is a win-win for the Nuggets, who see the Missouri product as a great complement to Murray and Nikola Jokic. He is able to take advantage of the attention that Murray and Jokic draw from his outside shooting. This makes him a matchup problem, who can push opposing power forwards and create more space for Jokic.
Porter has a high ceiling and the Nuggets ensure it is with him if he does reach it.
