3 ways in which Michael Porter Jr.'s injury after back surgery will impact the season for Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets made some noise this past offseason when they decided to give extensions to a number of players in their starting lineup. It looked as if the Nuggets had sent a clear message to their locker room, as this was the core that the organization believed could give them the best chance to contend for an NBA Championship. One of those extensions included young forward Michael Porter Jr., who has slowly become one of the top rising stars in the NBA.
After having a sensational 2020-21 season with the Denver Nuggets, the organization invested their future in the talented forward, rewarding him with a 5-year $145.3 million extension that has the potential to reach as much as $172 million. It was a big leap of faith for the team, as the talented forward had only a year of elite production while in the NBA. After being sidelined with a back injury for the last ten games, the Denver Nuggets announced today that there was an update for Michael Porter Jr. Unfortunately for NBA fans, it wasn't the news we were hoping for. According to a report from The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Nuggets have announced that Michael Porter Jr. is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to back surgery.
Sources: Denver forward Michael Porter Jr. is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to back surgery. Tough blow, but with Porter’s five-year extension kicking in next season, he and the Nuggets take big-picture approach to his health.
How will Michael Porter Jr's Injury Impact the Denver Nuggets?
The recent news that Michael Porter Jr. will be out for the remainder of the season is going to be a major blow for the Denver Nuggets moving forward. After being a team that many thought could make some noise in the Western Conference this year, the Nuggets have struggled with their play as of late. The team currently finds itself with a 9-10 record this year and have won just four of their last 10 games. The abscence of Michael Porter Jr. is going to make things even more difficult for the team moving forward, as the talented forward has been a key part of their rotation whenever he's on the court. Let's take a look at how the Michael Porter Jr. injury will impact the team moving forward.
#3 Injuries Piling Up
Injuries have continued to pile up for the Denver Nuggets throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. The team is already missing star Jamal Murray as he works his way back from a previous ACL tear and it remains to be seen if Murray will even play this year. On top of that, the team has been without superstar big man Nikola Jokic for a stretch of recent games. Jokic has missed the teams' last four games and is listed as questionable for tonight's game against the Miami Heat.
With two of the most important pieces of the rotation already sidelined, the loss of Michael Porter Jr. for the rest of the season has suddenly brought in a dark cloud hovering over this Denver Nuggets team moving forward. The team is now missing three of their most important offensive pieces and will desperately need Nikola Jokic back if they want to at least try to remain competitive in a stacked Western Conference.