Michael Porter Jr. has to be one of the most intriguing young players around the league. Prior to suffering a back injury during his lone year of college, he was widely considered one of the top two or three players in the 2018 Draft class, so the Nuggets felt like they got a steal when he nearly fell out of the lottery altogether.
He’s shown flashes of what made him such a sought-after talent during his time in Denver, and with the Nuggets once again primed to contend in the West, he figures to be integral part of their long-term plan as he’s now assumed a starting role. At the moment, however, all that will have to remain on hold.
According to the latest reports, MPJ is set to miss multiple games because of COVID contact tracing protocols. It remains unclear whether Porter has tested positive for COVID or whether he’s simply been exposed somewhere along the way, but nonetheless, the league is taking every precaution.
Via Mike Singer of The Denver Post:
The team’s internal expectation is that Porter will miss multiple games, the source said. The start of his protocol began Thursday. After Friday’s game against Phoenix, the Nuggets take on the Timberwolves on Sunday and again on Tuesday.
Porter was among numerous Nuggets players late to the “Bubble,” when he arrived in late July more than two weeks after the rest of the team did. Team officials later confirmed numerous cases of COVID, though Porter’s case was never specifically confirmed.
It’s also unclear exactly how many games Porter might miss, as Will Barton is reportedly set to start in his place. Porter has been averaging 19.5 points and 6.8 rebounds so far this season.
