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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.
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.
#2 Production to Replace
With Michael Porter Jr. expected to miss the remainder of the season, the Nuggets are going to need to find someone to replace the production of the talented forward. There's no denying that the eventual return of big man Nikola Jokic will do wonders for this team, but Jokic won't be able to carry the load by himself. One name that could need to step up for this team is veteran forward Aaron Gordon. The versatile forward also signed a contract extension this offseason with the organization, and he will need to do everything he can to help this Nuggets team get back on the right track. Gordon has been strong with his play as of late. In his last eight games, Gordon is averaging 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 53.8% from the field and 42.9% from downtown. The team could also look to a number of pieces on their roster to step up, including rookie guard Bones Hyland, who is still fighting for more playing time.
#1 A Lost Season for Denver?
Although it remains early in the 2021-22 regular season, the Denver Nuggets are starting to swim in troubled waters. With so many valuable assets already sidelined, the Nuggets might be dealing with too much adversity to overcome. The first and most important thing for the organization will be getting superstar big man Nikola Jokic back into the mix. After that, the team can reevaluate and see what direction they are heading in before making any drastic decisions. With Michael Porter Jr. expected to miss the remainder of the season, it remains unlikely the team will try to "rush" back their other star in Jamal Murray. It will also be interesting to see where the team is at when the trade deadline approaches. If the team can get back on the right track, the Nuggets could also look to the trade market to add some talent to the roster with the latest news that Michael Porter Jr. is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
