Michael Porter Jr. is willing to wait, but more communication from his head coach might help

Hours before the Denver Nuggets lost their third game of a four-game road trip, head coach Michael Malone addressed a depleted scrum of traveling media at shootaround. There was but one takeaway from this availability—his comments on Michael Porter Jr.

“I consider it every day,” Malone said when asked how close he is to considering heavy bench minutes for Porter Jr. “I really do. We met as a staff this morning…When you’re 1-4, and your offense is holding you back, you have to have all of your options on the table.”

Malone is infamously deceptive with his pregame remarks about playing time and rotations. Still, given the bench’s inability to find sustained success despite significant opportunity extended to Torrey Craig and Juancho Hernangomez, these words felt noteworthy. Sure enough, young Porter Jr.—who had been out of the rotation and unsure if he’d play at all even in blowouts—was tasked with helping the Nuggets win a game against a Philadelphia 76ers team that is undefeated at home.

Porter Jr.’s initial minutes came with the starters in the first quarter, but that run was cut short when Malone burned a timeout with 3:12 remaining. Several bench players checked in, and Porter Jr. stayed in the game. He finished the first half with four points on 1-of-4 shooting, two rebounds, and two fouls committed in 7:32 of playing time.

“It felt good, man,” Michael Porter Jr. told the media when asked about his extended run. “I missed a lot of easy shots around the rim, but I’m more worried about how I felt out there defensively—just doing my job on the glass. I missed a lot of easy stuff that I normally make, so I’m cool. But I just want to be locked in defensively.”

The Nuggets closed the gap to five points at the half and were still very much in a game they needed desperately. Porter Jr. was in a position to help his team win a close game—a rare opportunity for the once top-ranked recruit of his High School class—but he was nowhere to be found in the third quarter. Instead, Torrey Craig played over five minutes, and Juancho Hernangomez appeared for a somewhat random minute-plus of action.

“No, I was cool,” Michael Porter Jr. said when asked if it was difficult not to play in the third. “I was trying to win. I was hoping he’d put me back in but, I wasn’t worried.”

If Porter Jr. were expecting to remain on the bench from that point forward, he would have been wrong. He played a little over six minutes in the fourth quarter, adding two more points and four more rebounds on 1-of-3 from the floor. And who knows what the phenom was indeed expecting? There has been no clear plan for when and how the team will introduce him to the fold.

Porter Jr. isn’t the first young player to be tasked with waiting patiently for his turn, but he’s admittedly and understandably confused about his role in Denver.

“I need to talk to coach again,” he told reporters after the game. “I think when we know—we are more mentally prepared when we know when we are coming in and what (Malone’s) thinking for certain games. I think we can be more mentally prepared for our minutes.”

It’s important to note that Porter Jr. was calm, thoughtful, and honest in his answers—showing little frustration and no anger while managing to articulate his needs clearly. His words marked by a youthful, earnest tone that should not be mistaken for whining. He doesn’t mind waiting for his turn. Still, a little more communication might help.

When a reporter inquired into this playing time giving him more confidence going forward, Porter Jr. said bluntly, “I hope.” He laughed as he answered a follow-up question about whether or not he’s told if these appearances will lead to more, or given any indication on the length of his proverbial leash. “Nah,” he said.

For the seemingly uncountable occurrence on Tuesday night, Porter Jr.’s teammates were supportive of his talent and his patient approach to a challenge he has not faced before in his young career. He’s been a walking bucket since junior high. His playing time has never been a point of discussion before without an injury in play. It’s never even been a question.

“The more he plays, the more consistent he’s going to get,” starting small forward Will Barton III told the media in the locker room. “I know how it feels too not to have consistent minutes. It’s hard to get a groove. Once he gets that going, he’ll be good.”

There are myriad good reasons for the patient approach to Porter Jr.’s development. Namely, the Nuggets have a roster full of rotation-caliber players, and those who entered the season above him on the depth chart have earned that opportunity. The Nuggets won 54 games last year, and Craig played a significant role in that regular-season success. Perhaps no player on this roster has waited more patiently or converted a lack of playing time into an opportunity to improve as a teammate quite like Juancho. Malone has games to win, and a locker room to keep. The long term development of Porter Jr. has not been at the top of the priority list.

However wise or unwise this approach to the 21-year-old’s minutes might be, it makes what Barton III described nearly impossible. These guys don’t know who is going to play night-in and night-out. They don’t even know on a half-to-half basis. Malone is playing musical chairs with the end of his rotation.

Porter Jr. has to earn whatever opportunity that’s given to him, and he understands that. But he’s been given little breathing room to learn from his mistakes, and to show what he can contribute to a struggling offense.

As the Nuggets search for easy opportunities around the rim, and their coach points out the lack of a one-on-one type of player on their roster, it’s probably worth noting that a 6’10” offensive prodigy is watching on from the bench. There’s no denying the flashes of talent we have seen during his rare minutes of action. He will bring a different dynamic to the Nuggets as he develops.

“The same thing I see from him every time he steps on the court,” Barton III replied when the media asked for his impression of Porter Jr. in the loss. “Great talent, flashes of a lot of potential, and the more he plays, the more comfortable he’s going to get. Once he gets comfortable, it’s going to be a wrap.”

When I asked Barton III if the team is ready to see more of Michael Porter Jr., he didn’t hesitate.

“I’m ready for him to play,” Barton said frankly. “That goes for any teammate, you know, but—definitely.”

Porter Jr. will likely have to stay patient, but these comments are sure to start some dialogue between him, his coach, and the PR staff in Denver. Whether it’s the dialogue he’s looking for, however, is another question altogether.