Why the Nuggets believe Michael Porter Jr. is ready to contribute next season

Michael Porter Jr. — star basketball player, unanimous top-2 recruit out of high school who at a chiseled 6-foot-10 and 210 pounds looks like he was constructed inside a basketball lab — is not that different than you or me.

“Chipotle’s my favorite food,” Porter told BSN Denver as he used his near seven-foot frame to peer over his teammates from one corner of Cox Pavilion and catch the last few minutes of a Summer League matchup between the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers. “I get a bowl with chicken, brown rice, black beans, fajitas, salsa, lettuce and guac.”

Porter just got one of his loves, Chipotle, back in his life. The 21-year-old grew up vegetarian, switched to a mostly vegan diet at Missouri and even went raw vegan for a period of time. Now he’s back to eating some chicken and other types of meat which make his frequent visits to his favorite Mexican spot a bit more satisfying. But Porter is still waiting to reclaim another one of his loves, basketball.

Summer League was supposed to be his coming-out party and the opportunity for the once-heralded blue-chip recruit to reclaim his status as a future force to be reckoned with. But in a scrimmage just 48 hours before Porter was set to slip on a Nuggets jersey in a game for the first time since Denver made him the 14th overall pick in 2018, he landed awkwardly with only 40 seconds remaining on the clock. He walked off the floor and conferred with a team trainer. Porter was diagnosed with a knee sprain and would be held out of Summer League action.

The Nuggets aren’t overly concerned by his latest injury. Porter is fully recovered from the two back surgeries that kept him sidelined last year and over the past few months has made a successful sales pitch to Denver’s coaching staff that he should play meaningful minutes next season.

Come October, Porter is on track to be another chess piece that Michael Malone can deploy from a deep nine or 10-man rotation.

“You start out with the physical specimen that he is. The size, the length that he has,” Malone told BSN Denver. “He’s put on close to 20 pounds since we drafted him in strength. He’s healthy right now. Obviously, we’re being cautious with that knee injury but he’s fine. People ask, ‘Is he going to play in training camp?’ Yes. He’s alright. Thank goodness. So after you see the size and the length, you see the shooting ability, the range, the touch that he has, and when you’re that big and you’re that long, you can shoot over people. Then he has the ability to put the ball on the floor and get his own shot.”

“I think so,” Malone continued when asked if Porter can contend for a rotation spot next season. “We have so many small forward-type players but listen. Last year if Michael Porter is healthy he’s a top-3 pick. Top-3 picks get minutes even on 54-win teams, so I’d be surprised if Michael Porter doesn’t earn some minutes in our rotation.”

Before the injury, Porter had been blowing away Denver’s coaching staff and even some of his teammates behind closed doors in the leadup to the Las Vegas showcase, in open gyms, and throughout the team’s Summer League training camp. Nuggets Summer League coach Jordi Fernandez, who’s been around his fair share of All-NBA talent, from LeBron James to Kyrie Irving, who Fernandez ran through drills as a player development coach during the No.1 pick’s pre-draft workout with the Cavaliers back in 2009, called him “special.”

Many around the team believe Porter looks like the player they scouted before a back injury derailed his freshman season at Missouri and sunk his draft stock. But now he’s pain-free even after his latest injury. In Las Vegas Porter said he was working out with his teammates with no restrictions and that he could play if it was a normal NBA game. He’s not concerned about this setback affecting the rest of his offseason regiment.

“It sucks but it is what it is,” Porter said. “I’ve got to get ready for the season. I probably won’t play here. I tried to, but they are being very cautious with me.”

When Porter finally returns to the floor for live-action in front of a crowd and thousands of pundits all across the world ready to dissect his game it will be the culmination of a trying journey. He’s tried to cut out some of the outside noise by deleting his social media at times and Porter credits his family, who’s been through their fair share of injuries, for helping him through his long road back to the court. Porter’s older sister Cierra lives with him in Denver.

He also has a chef on call who’s partly responsible for supplying the rookie with the frozen drinks that help power him through the daily grind of the NBA calendar.

“Actually smoothies are my favorite thing ever,” Porter said. “I drink two or three a day. You can combine them in so many different ways. I love it.”

Porter gets his smoothie fix at Pepsi Center too where the Nuggets are always sure to have their fridges stocked with the chilled beverage. Denver’s team chef takes orders from players and then confers with the Nuggets’ strength coaches on what ingredients to add. Denver is also sure to keep the smoothies on hand even after games when it’s not uncommon during the season to see players parading out of the team lounge double fisting pink or yellow mixtures. Porter says his favorite blend includes chocolate, peanut butter and banana.

The forward is hoping his healthy diet leads to a fruitful career despite the injuries he’s already endured. At one point in high school, Porter’s career arc looked like it would take him from top draft pick to one of the league’s future stars. Ailments temporarily halted that timeline, but Porter, who’s never been one to lack confidence, still believes. In the lead-up to Summer League, Porter said he expected to “dominate” the Las Vegas showcase.

“I’ve just always had confidence. It’s in my genes I guess,” Porter said. “Why not be confident? It’s a game I love. I don’t think you should ever doubt yourself.”

“I want to be an All-Star. I want to be a champion. One day I want to be the best player in the NBA.”

Porter’s journey, which was supposed to enter a new chapter this month, will continue this fall and while his hype train is continuing to accelerate Denver remains optimistic but cautious. It will take time and game reps for Porter to get fully comfortable in an NBA environment and on a team that’s already stocked with arguably the most talent in the league. The Nuggets don’t need Porter to take the reigns as the No. 1 scoring option that he’s been at every level.

Porter is anxious to get another one of his loves back in his life. The Nuggets are eager to see what the future holds.

“He’s not a finished product. I just want people to realize that he still has a ways to go,” Malone said. “He has not played a game in close to two years and he’s coming into a team that just won 54 games. He’s got to understand the importance of fitting in before trying to stand out and I think he’s starting to get there.”