A Brooklyn Nets star is the NBA’s biggest trade candidate this season ahead of the regular season opener in a few days.
Michael Porter Jr., the Nets’ go-to star, is believed to be the biggest trade chip in the upcoming season, according to NBA insider Brian Windhorst on The Hoop Collective podcast.
Windhorst pointed out that while much of the league’s focus has been directed toward players who recently signed major contract extensions, the 28-year-old Porter Jr. has notably not reached a new deal with the Nets.
Michael Porter Jr. Is NBA’s Top Trade Candidate
For Windhorst, Porter is in prime position to be moved by a rebuilding Brooklyn squad looking to maximize its long-term future assets.
“I would just say that one player to watch this year just in general is Michael Porter Jr.,” Windhorst said. “There’s been a lot of attention paid to whether Karl-Anthony Towns got a contract extension which naturally why wouldn’t there be, the man was a champion.”
This follows an incredibly productive 2025-2026 campaign where he operated as the focal point of the Nets’ offense, averaging a career-high 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. Windhorst emphasized that an unsigned player on an expiring contract naturally transforms into one of the league’s premier mid-season trade target, since he remains extension-eligible but lacks a commitment past this summer.
“Porter has not gotten a contract extension, he’s in the last year of his contract and he had a pretty good year last year after getting traded there by Denver and you know if a guy’s not in the contract extension, you think about you see a possible trade candidate.”
Porter Jr. arrived with the Nets last year after being traded from the Denver Nuggets, where he won an NBA championship as a starting small forward in 2023.
The deal sent Porter and an unprotected 2032 first-round draft pick to Brooklyn in exchange for forward Cameron Johnson. The Nets welcomed Porter as a primary scoring option and cornerstone immediately for their rebuilding roster.
Michael Porter Jr. Addresses Contract Extension Talks With The Nets
Michael Porter Jr. is just excited to play basketball this season as his future with the Nets remains uncertain.
“I never was a dude who played basketball for a big contract or for the money,” Porter said. “So, for me, I’m just excited to play with these guys and be in Brooklyn and build this organization as one of the leaders. So, I’ve voiced that I would love to be in Brooklyn and that I’m enjoying playing with these guys.”
Porter Jr. is currently entering the final year of his five-year, $179.3 million designated rookie extension, which he originally signed with the Nuggets before being traded to the Nets. He is scheduled to earn a base salary of $40 million for the 2026-2027 NBA season.
Porter is eligible for a lucrative four-year, $234 million maximum extension. Earlier reports indicated he is seeking a contract worth at least $40 million annually, a figure the Nets have been hesitant to offer.
Porter certainly presents as a shiny asset for any contender that is looking to get a sharpshooting veteran who has playoff experience this season.
Brooklyn Nets Star Is NBA’s Biggest Trade Candidate This Season