Michael Porter Jr. – Denver Nuggets
As of right now, there is no way that the Denver Nuggets would think about trading away Michael Porter Jr, but he is definitely a player that should be on the Knicks’ radar moving forward. Maybe not this year or in the offseason, but down the road, Porter Jr. should be a player that the Knicks look to trade for and give up anything in return.
After sitting out the entire 2018-19 season after recovering from back surgery, Michael Porter Jr. made his NBA debut last season and did not really make an impact until after the NBA shutdown. When the league returned to play down in the Orlando bubble, Michael Porter Jr. was one of the best players after the restart, averaging 22 points, 8.6 rebounds, and shooting 42.2% from three-point range in seven of the Nuggets eight final regular-season games.
Michael Porter Jr. was named to the All-Seeding Games Second-Team as a result of his play and continued his success in the playoffs where he averaged 11.4 points, 6.7 rebounds and shot 38.2% in 19 games.
So far this season, he has only played in 8 games due to sitting out nearly a month due to COVID-19 protocols. In those 8 games though, Porter Jr. has been fantastic and has emerged as that third scoring option the Denver Nuggets needs.
With them letting Jerami Grant sign with the Pistons in the offseason, more opportunities have opened for Porter Jr. to showcase his abilities and if he can improve on the defensive-end of the court, he could be one of the best two-way players in the entire NBA.
Trading for Michael Porter Jr. down the road for the Knicks is heavily predicated on whether or not the Denver Nuggets can make it back to the Western Conference Finals. If they continue to struggle this year and see an early exit in the first-round of the playoffs, Denver could be more willing to listen to offers to shake up their roster.
When the Nuggets reach their low-point, the Knicks must be persistent on their quest to bring Michael Porter Jr. to New York. He is one of the better, young talents in the NBA and if the Knicks could possibly land him down-the-road, they could immediately turn into a legit threat in the Eastern Conference.
