Brooklyn Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. will be out for two to three weeks after being diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, the team announced on Thursday. He will be reevaluated after that period.
By then, however, the Nets’ season could be over. Only 13 games remain on the regular-season schedule for Brooklyn and the team has been playing for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Nets currently hold the third-worst record in the NBA at 17-52.
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Traded to the Nets from the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Cam Johnson, Porter was putting up the best numbers of his career. The seven-year veteran averaged 24.2 points (tied for 14th among NBA scorers), 7.1 rebounds, 3 assists and 1.1 steals, while shooting 36% on 485 3-point attempts this season.
However, Porter appeared in only 52 games due to ankle injuries and a chronic nerve condition (called “foot drop”) in his left foot. He had missed the Nets’ past four games with his left hamstring issue.
If Porter is able to return in two weeks, that would leave five or six games in the Nets’ season. However, both the Nets and Porter might question if there’s any point in him playing those games — especially if the team is playing for the No. 1 overall pick. Right now, the Nets share the best chance to win that selection with the Indiana Pacers and Washington Wizards at 14%.
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Porter, 27, also has one year remaining on his contract and both he and the Nets may want to show that he’s healthy for a possible offseason trade. He’s set to be paid $40.8 million next season, a salary slot that non-contending teams would love to open on their caps. Of course, that could apply to the Nets as well.