The Denver Nuggets are facing a challenging financial situation as they are projected to exceed the second apron of the NBA’s luxury tax. To avoid this hefty penalty, the team is considering making significant adjustments to its payroll, particularly regarding its star player, Michael Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. signed a lucrative five-year, $179.3 million max extension with the Nuggets ahead of the 2021-22 season. However, since signing that deal, his time on the court has been plagued by injuries, leading to a noticeable gap between the team’s expectations and his actual performance. Hence, his name often comes up in trade discussion.
During his appearance on the Off Guard podcast with Austin Rivers, Porter Jr. opened up about the pressures that come with his max contract. MPJ also shed light on how the financial aspect has impacted his love for the game.
“I would have played this game for free as long as I could eat. I loved it. The money sometimes makes it a little bit harder to enjoy the game because with a max contract come a lot of expectations on consistency. “Oh you’re supposed to be an All-Star; you’re supposed to be this, that, whatever they say,” he said.
Michael Porter Jr.’s NBA 2K25 Rating Remains Unchanged After a Mixed Season
On Tuesday, NBA 2K revealed its list of players ranked No. 51 to 70 in the Top 100. Michael Porter Jr. had a decent season as the Denver Nuggets’ third scoring option behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. As a result, he was also among the players ranked in this group.
Porter Jr. secured the No. 67 spot on the list, maintaining an overall rating of 83. This rating is identical to his initial rating in NBA 2K24, the same year the Nuggets clinched the NBA title. Despite not performing as well as expected last season, MPJ retained his rating.
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Over the course of last season, Michael Porter Jr. played in 81 games, posting averages of 16.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 48.4% from the field.
Also Read: Stephen Jackson Labels Boston Celtics Legend Ray Allen As A ‘One-Dimensional’ Player.
