Michael Porter Jr’s bank account got a significant boost this week after agreeing to a 5 year $207M max contract extension with the Denver Nuggets. If MPJ is able to make one of the 3 All-NBA teams this season, then his full $207M contract will vest. If not, he’ll have to settle for the rookie max which is worth $172M.
After locking up the 6’10” forward, Denver now has a core of Jokic, MPJ, Murray, and Gordon under contract for the foreseeable future. The deal is also a huge vote of confidence regarding the health of Porter’s back moving forwards, which was a genuine concern coming out of college.
MPJ improved in every statistical category except for free throw percentage during the 2020-21 season as he moved into the starting line up for the Nuggets. The 3rd year forward averaged 19pts/7.3 rebounds per game in Denver, but what the Nuggets front office likes most about him is his ability to score at all 3 levels. Porter averaged 2.8 made three pointers on 6.3 attempts last year, good for 44.5% from beyond the arc, which is no small feat for the nearly 7ft tall SF.
Denver has never been viewed as an “attractive” free agent destination amongst NBA players, which could explain why they’ve been quick to lock up homegrown talent to long term deals. With the MPJ contract in place, the Nuggets now have 3 players signed to max contracts (MPJ, Murray, Jokic).
The Nuggets open their season on the road against the Phoenix Suns on October 20th. MyBookie currently has Denver listed at +1800 to win the NBA title this season.