Nets’ Michael Porter Jr. lands at No. 15 in SF rankings after career year

Michael Porter Jr. is coming off a career-best season with the Brooklyn Nets. The 6-foot-10 sharpshooter's impressive 2025-26 campaign landed him at No. 15 in Hoopshype's NBA small forward rankings.

“Michael Porter Jr. made a charge at first-time All-Star honors in 2025-26, falling just short of achieving that,” wrote Hoopshype's Frank Urbina. “Once Porter Jr. wasn’t named an All-Star, his play did taper off… We have a feeling we could see the former version of Porter Jr. in 2026-27, considering it’s a contract year for the high-level scorer.  Porter Jr. has won a championship as a role player before, too; it’s just that role players don’t get paid as much as stars, so the Missouri product will surely be looking to prove the 2025-26 version of himself was not a fluke. Porter Jr. ranked in the Top 30 league-wide in BPM in 2025-26 thanks to his ability to shoot and hit ridiculous jumpers in his massive 6-foot-10 frame, so his production was impactful, even if his Brooklyn Nets were one of the worst teams in the league.”

Porter exceeded expectations during the first half of last season while stepping in as the Nets' No. 1 offensive option. The 27-year-old averaged 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists on 48.2 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent from three across 38 appearances to start the year. That included a 10-game stretch in December when the Nets went 7-3, with Porter averaging 28.3 points per game.

However, the forward's play dropped off precipitously after he failed to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team.

Michael Porter Jr. ranked No. 15 in NBA small forward rankings after career-best season

Porter averaged 20.5 points and 2.6 assists on 40.9 percent shooting from the field and 25.6 percent from three across 14 appearances after the All-Star reserves were announced. The Nets went 2-14 in games Porter played during that span, with the former Nugget posting a -18.4 net rating.

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Porter admitted his effort and engagement waned after the All-Star teams were announced.

“I think [this season] maybe should change people's opinion of who I am — I can expand my game — but I think there's a lot more that I can do,” he said during his exit interview. “Even this season I was a little inconsistent down the stretch. I think once All-Star break happened and I realized I wasn't an All-Star, I had a little slippage in my focus, a little slippage in my preparation. That can't happen regardless of what's going on with the team and the team record. So there's definitely a lot of ways I can grow as well.”

Porter's play to start 2026-27 could determine his future with the Nets. The former champion is entering the final year of his contract at $40.8 million and is slated to hit unrestricted free agency next summer.

Porter's agent, Mark Bartelstein, said in late July that he and the Nets would have conversations about an extension in the coming days. Two months later, the two sides haven't reached an agreement on a new deal. Porter is expected to open the season in a featured role with Brooklyn, and the rebuilding squad could still extend him.

If the two sides cannot agree to a new deal before the trade deadline, the Nets will likely explore trade possibilities for the eighth-year forward.

“If it was up to me, I would love to sign an extension with this franchise,” Porter said entering the offseason. “I feel like the guys mesh. We have great vibes, great energy in the locker room, and to be a part of something that is building in a positive way with positive momentum, that would be awesome. I would love to spend many, many years in Brooklyn and make this my home and build and watch this franchise take off.”