The Denver Nuggets recently signed Michael Porter Jr. to an enormous contract extension.
The deal was finalized to be a five-year, $207 million max extension.
The Nuggets are putting a ton of faith in Porter.
He has already missed one of his three seasons in the league due to injury.
Michael Porter Jr. has agreed on a five-year max contract extension with the Nuggets worth up to $207 million, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/3sFsigDE6o
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 27, 2021
Along with this, in his first season of playing, he only started in eight games and did not even break double-digits in terms of points per game.
It is impossible to argue that Porter does not have the upside to be one of the best in the league at his position.
However, this deal could be enough to tank the potential the Nuggets have of being a top team in the league in the future if things go south with him.
With the Nuggets being a small-market team, their hands are kind of tied in this scenario.
By no means is Denver a big free agency destination and when a player they draft shows potential to be a big star in the future, they have to do everything in their power and spend the extra money to make sure they do not even get the chance to hit free agency and leave the team.
In Denver’s defense, Porter broke through this previous season.
He averaged 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds on 44.5 percent shooting from three.
With Jamal Murray likely missing some time this season due to injury, Porter may take yet another big step this season.
He and Nikola Jokic could be one of the most underrated duos heading into the season.
It would not be surprising at all if Porter is able to break through and make his first All-Star game this season.
While it would be a lot more likely if he played in the Eastern Conference, he may even have a shot at it in the West.
Was This a Good Deal For Denver?
With such a financial commitment to a player who still has a lot to prove, the question is raised on if this was a good move for the Nuggets.
Porter has a lot to prove with the Nuggets.
However, he has six seasons to prove this.
Also, it means that Denver will have him on the roster for six years.
With the projected salary cap spikes throughout that time, this deal may end up looking very good for the Nuggets by the time he reaches his final year of the deal.
MPJ LOCKED
Just like with the Jamal extension, I feel like people don’t realize it kicks in AFTER this upcoming season. That means 23yo Michael Porter Jr. is under contract w/ the Denver Nuggets for the next SIX SEASONS pic.twitter.com/1ExyeuRF3d
— Josh Middleton (@j_middles) September 29, 2021
Porter has shown a great amount of potential so far in his career.
If he is able to continue the path of growth he is on right now, and can stay healthy, the sky is the limit for him.
One final point to make on Porter, especially this season, is how often he will even be able to play for the Nuggets.
Up to this point, Porter has spoken out about his hesitation to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
This is something that could have major implications in the playoffs if he is not able to receive some sort of exemption.
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