Michael Porter Jr. plans to unlock a new aspect of his offensive game this year

Here’s what you need to know from Day 3 of Nuggets Media Week.

It’s almost Showtime

At 6-foot-10, Michael Porter Jr. is a mismatch nightmare. He’s taller than most small forwards and too perimeter oriented for a lot of fours.

This season, Porter wants to take advantage of those mismatches. Porter said Thursday that he had two primary focuses this offseason on the offensive end of the floor. One was ball handling and creating separation and a wider variety of shots off the dribble. The other was working out of the mid-post.

“I’m trying to get comfortable with go-to moves in that mid-post area, like Melo does, people like that,” Porter said. “When there’s a mismatch, thats a good spot to go to.”

Porter in the mid-post should be an offensive hub for Denver this season. If Porter can once again score efficiently from that area of the floor — last season he shot 49% from the mid-range, good for the 89th percentile among all forwards — there’s no reason why some of the Nuggets’ go-to offensive sets wouldn’t involve getting the forward the ball in those spots where he’s growing more comfortable.

At his height, Porter can already rise up over anyone. But with better footwork and sharper technique, the possibilities are endless.

It’s undoubtably a massive season for Porter, and you get the feeling he knows it. With no Jamal Murray to open the year, the work Porter put in this summer, which included a week-long stay in the Bay Area where he worked out with Steph Curry, should be on display.

“I’m just look forward to making another jump this season because I’ve been working hard,” Porter said. “I’m excited for that to show and be even more of a leader for my team.

He also worked on his weaknesses. After back-to-back playoff appearances, Porter knows all to well that he has to become a better defender. Porter studied defensive film this offseason and worked with his trainer on his defensive technique and getting more agile and flexible.

It’s almost showtime.

“I think a lot of people are scared to work on their weaknesses,” Porter said. “I hear mine and I like when people point those out to me so that I can try to get better. No player ends up being great if they only work on their strengths.”

That rookie extension should be coming too. I’d still be pretty stunned if it didn’t get done by opening night.

Aaron Gordon is extended, healthy and ready for a big year

Why did Aaron Gordon want to get an extension done with Denver this summer and lock in with the Nuggets for the next several seasons?

“It’s a long list,” Gordon said Thursday.

After the Nuggets acquired Gordon at last year’s trade deadline, he fit about as well as Denver could have imagined. He was more than OK playing a secondary role on offense and slotting in behind Nikola Jokic, Murray, Porter and Will Barton in the Nuggets’ pecking order. On defense, Gordon embraced being Denver’s defensive ace.

He asked to switch onto Damian Lillard in the playoffs and was every bit as advertised on that end of the floor. Gordon’s exactly the type of big-bodied, switchable, versatile, plus-defender that the Nuggets need to slot next to Porter in their starting lineup.

Off the court, Gordon immediately felt comfortable after the trade. He has faith in Denver’s coaching staff and front office. He fits in well with the Nuggets’ locker room. Behind Denver’s Big 3, Gordon can skirt the spotlight and fly under the radar. You get the feeling that’s what the laid-back Northern California kid prefers.

Gordon’s set up financially on a four-year, $92 million deal that kicks in after this season. He’s in a city where he’s comfortable. His role is defined and suits him well. Now, it’s time to get to work.

“Instead of working towards a monetary goal, we’re working to a collective team goal. That’s a trophy,” Gordon said. “Thats a beautiful thing. Being be able to narrow my focus, that’s going to help my play. That’s going to pick up the team.”

There’s reason to think Gordon has another gear to his game that he didn’t reach in the 25 games plus two playoff rounds he logged for Denver last season. Gordon’s now healthy after playing through a balky ankle last year that he originally hurt around eight weeks prior to the trade. Gordon says he’s more explosive now than he was last year.

Gordon only had 52 total dunks last season in 50 games. He had 88 dunks in 62 games two seasons ago and 104 dunks in 78 games during the 2018-19 season. Gordon had 92 dunks in 50 games in 2017-18.

“I dont think my lift was very good,” Gordon said regarding last season. “I couldn’t really jump off of one (foot). Then just dragging it. Especially with the condensed schedule last year, it made it that much more difficult to recover and bounce back from games. I really felt like I was playing on one and a half feet coming down the stretch and it really just wore out on me towards the end of the season.”

Playing with more physicality was Gordon’s focus this summer. You forget how big he is sometimes at 6-foot-8, 240 pounds, and Gordon wants to use his size and power more this coming season.

“I think my best basketball is ahead of me,” he said. “Coming into a training camp healthy, and confident and prepared, it’s going to make all the difference in the world.”

Why Will Barton feels “rejuvenated”

Will Barton was talking Thursday like a rookie who’s getting his first taste of NBA life, not a 30-year-old veteran that’s strapping in for another training camp and his 10th season.

“I dont want to skip no steps,” Barton said. “I’m looking forward to training camp. I’m looking forward to preseason. I’m looking forward to the start of the regular season. Just being indulged and being happy with the little things. Most of the time guys will say, ‘I just want to get to the season.’ This season I’m taking it back to the basics of just being excited for every little thing.”

Here’s my informed take on why Barton’s in a great head space.

Last offseason, Barton barely picked up basketball. He left the NBA Bubble in August, rehabbed for around four months in Miami, and then returned to Denver a bit unsure of how well his body was going to be hold up over the truncated 72-game regular season.

This time around, Barton enjoyed a much more normal summer. He was in Miami again but immersed himself more in the game. Barton poured over his own game film and actually played 5-on-5. He’s healthy and was really able to work on his game.

My read is that Barton’s much more confident in his game and body entering this season. He signed a new two-year contract this summer too, and without Murray to start the year, Barton’s clearly Denver’s third offensive option behind Jokic and Porter.

He’s poised for a big season. I’m buying Barton stock if you’re selling.

“This is the best I’ve felt going into a season in two years,” he said. “I feel rejuvenated.”