Getty Michael Porter Jr.
The Philadelphia 76ers have money to spend during the 2024 NBA Offseason. However, they have to spend that money wisely. They can do that with free agency or by trying their hand at a trade. Denver Nuggets champion Michael Porter Jr. could be a possible target.
The Sporting News’ Stephen Noh proposed a trade that would send Porter Jr. to the Sixers which the following would happen.
Sixers receive: Porter Jr
Nuggets receive: Buddy Hield (via sign-and-trade), De’Anthony Melton (via sign-and-trade)
Noh explained Porter Jr.’s appeal to the Sixers.
“The 76ers can completely remake their team around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey this summer. Those two are going to have the ball a lot, so they need an off-ball gunner who can bomb away from 3. That makes MPJ an ideal fit for this team. He would give them great size and scoring, while his defensive issues could be cleaned up by Embiid.”
He added why the Nuggets and the Sixers could work as trade partners.
“The Sixers are a great trade partner for the Nuggets for two reasons. First, they have up to $60 million in cap space, allowing them to make trades where matching salaries is not necessary. Second, they have a ton of useful rotation players as free agents, which they can use in outgoing sign-and-trades.”
Porter Jr. will enter the third year of a five-year, $207 million contract. If the Sixers’ other pursuits fail, Porter Jr. would not be a bad failsafe.
Sixers Could Have Drafted Michael Porter Jr.
Entering the 2018 NBA Draft, the Sixers had the No. 10 pick. They acquired the pick from the Phoenix Suns in 2015, who was originally traded by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2012.
Porter Jr. entered the draft and was slated to be a high draft pick, but injury concerns hurt his draft stock. The Sixers passed on Porter for Mikal Bridges, whose rights they later traded to the Suns for Zhaire Smith.
Smith played two years with the Sixers before he was involved in multiple trades. Porter Jr., on the other hand, evolved into a scoring wing who helped the Nuggets win their first title as a franchise in 2023.
Because the Nuggets will enter the NBA’s second tax apron, they may look to trade Porter Jr.. Trading him could help give them more depth and long-term cap flexibility.
Michael Porter Jr. Admits Family Issues Were Distraction
Porter Jr. dealt with some family problems during the 2023-24 season. His brother Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA for gambling on games. Corban Porter was also sentenced to six years in prison for vehicular homicide.
After the Minnesota Timberwolves eliminated the Nuggets, Porter Jr. admitted it became a distraction for him.
“I’m not going to sit here and act like it wasn’t a burden, and I wasn’t thinking about it all day, every day,” Porter told reporters. “But that’s still no excuse. I’m a better player than I played in this series. I’m a better shooter than I shot in this series. In the NBA, you have to be able to separate your off-the-court matters with your on-the-court-play.”