The back injury that Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. suffered on Saturday will keep him out of action for the “foreseeable future,” according to an article by The Athletic.
Coach Michael Malone updated Porter’s status before Monday’s game, telling reporters that the team plans to be careful as he deals with the injury. Malone added that Porter will undergo more testing before any decisions are made.
“This is a process where we’re being very cautious, talking to doctors, getting imaging all that kind of stuff,” Malone said.
The injury happened as Porter missed a breakaway layup early in Saturday’s game with the Rockets. The Nuggets’ medical staff conducted several tests on Sunday, and he was ruled out of Monday’s game.
The 23-year-old is off to a slow start after last year’s breakthrough season, which saw him average 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Through nine games, those numbers are down to 9.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG and his shooting percentages have dropped from 54.2% from the field and 44.5% from three-point range to 35.9% and 20.8%.
Back injuries are particularly concerning for Porter, who has already undergone two surgeries to relieve back pain. However, the team is confident that he will be able to return at some point this season and doesn’t believe another operation will be necessary, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. But Porter won’t try to play again until the soreness is gone and the Nuggets are sure that his back is structurally sound.
Denver is already playing without Jamal Murray, who is expected to miss most of the season while recovering from ACL surgery. Vardon expects Aaron Gordon to get a greater share of the team’s offense in Porter’s absence, while free agent addition Jeff Green may see his minutes increase.
“We all have to support Michael like we’re all supporting Jamal. … Michael could be back in a week,” Malone said. “It could be more than that. I don’t know. When I say foreseeable future, I don’t really know what that means. I just know he’s not playing tonight.”
Nuggets should have trade him for Ben Simmons when they could… If Murray comes playing like he was, with Simmons covering his defensive issues, the Nuggets would have been scary.
I love the Nuggets, but i was never high on MPJ potential, he never showed skills to beat defenders off the dribble, was like only a shooter, a good one, but he wasn’t developing other aspects of the game. And then you had the injury risk… I bet that contract would look very bad pretty early.
Nuggets don’t want Ben Simmons lol. Nobody wants Ben Simmons.
Im not a big fan of Simmons, but his defensive and passing skills IMO are a lot more valuable to the Nuggets than anything MPJ can do. They have already shooting and scoring in Murray, Jokic, Barton. Almost every player they have can hit a three, Simmons is a better fit 100%, and no one is gonna ask him to do more than he can do like the Philly scenario.
Why mess with the chemistry though? Bringing in a guy like Simmons when you really don’t even know what he’s going to bring you. Maybe some regular season stats? Porter has been way better in the playoffs.
No he has not been better in the playoffs. The last series Simmons played was obviously atrocious, but still he was better in almost every other series, MPJ had only one good series and that’s it. He looks like its injury prone and to me 1. he hasn’t developed in other aspects of the game besides shooting. 2. Simmons is a better fit in terms of skillset by far. 3. Maybe Simmons implosion was because the 76ers enviroment, wich he couldn’t handle. There has been rumours about him asking for a trade long before the ATL series.
In order to win you have to risk. DEN took the risk betting on MPJ and extending him, i think the Simmons risk has higher potential reward.
Of course is just opinions, but the truth is MPJ is injured and Simmons looks like stuck in the philly situation.
You make a couple good points but I will respectfully disagree. In today’s league you have to shoot. MPJ can shoot and get hot provided he’s not injured. Simmons cannot. The sixers have never made it past the second round with Simmons.
Barton had 4 points the other night and he will just like last year be the most up and down player in the league. 3 games 20 points. 3 games 8 points
He hasn’t developed. What the heck does it mean then when you end last season as the 6th highest Player Efficiency in the entire NBA.That is the stat that tells all. So you should check your facts before saying something about someone you evidently don’t like. Just like a typical fan. Only root if they are doing good.
What? MPJ PER was 20 last season, wich is really good by the way, but there are at least 20 players with 22 PER. So your info isn’t accurate. And this great stat doesn’t take into account defense too much, an area were MPJ is not that great.
@ElMajestry
It’s a fit issue for me. Let’s agree that Ben’s best offensive quality is passing and his only scoring ability is at the rim. Let’s also agree that Jokic’s best offensive abilities are scoring in the post and passing in the post. Why bring in Ben who will a) either take the ball out of Jokic’s hands and take away a strength OR b) being Ben in to a situation where WON’T have the ball in his hands as often and pushes him out to a range where he’s not an offensive threat. In the post he crowds Jokic’s space. On the perimeter he will be ignored as his defender will sag off of him and dare him to shoot… which he won’t.
That’s one way to see it. But Jokic creates offense from anywhere, at the top of the key too and Ben can slash and cut, he is too tall and fast and can grab Nikola’s passes pretty easy.
Think that the 76ers, even if they couldn’t reach de ECF, were contenders every year with a poor fit in Embiid – Simmons. Its inarguably that Jokic – Ben, is a better fit than that.
Its all speculation, but i would love to see this. Obviously it will never happen ahahhaha
My point is that MPJ was a risk, and is still gonna be a risk going forward.
I really want Porter jr to do well. I’ve struggled with back injuries and they suck. You can’t help but think the Nuggets giving him that big contract was a bit over zealous
Contract wasn’t smart idea
MPJ can take it easy now, he’s a made man.
Such a shame, MPJ is one of the most exciting players in the league, as well as one of the most genuinely nice dudes in the league!
Can’t wait for him to be back & well, so he can dazzle all of us again with his talent, get better man!
Poor dude is going to be the next Brandon Roy
Wtf, he is not remotely near Roy’s level… BR was a top 3 SG in the league at his peak, behind D-Wade and Kobe.
Roy could shoot
BTW MPJ can shoot way better than B-Roy ever did, just saying it, right?
Yeah no doubt buddy
This was the fear most teams had when they passed on MPJ. The physicality of the league plus odds of a freak injury to his back. I hope he is ok. This is bigger than basketball smh.
“Back injuries are particularly concerning for Porter, who has already undergone two surgeries to relieve back pain. However, the team is confident that he will be able to return at some point this season and doesn’t believe another operation will be necessary, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. But Porter won’t try to play again until the soreness is gone and the Nuggets are sure that his back is structurally sound.”
This don’t sound like an athlete with a future. Structurally Sound !!!!! WTF
You don’t sound like an athlete with a future either bro