Before Michael Porter Jr. left for Capri on a holiday, he left feeling confident. The new GM, Jon Wallace, had spoken to him about his vision. Porter Jr., was ecstatic about what the future held for him in Denver. However, he also wanted his game to evolve, something that Wallace may have taken as a sign to move the veteran sharpshooter.

While on his flight to Capri, the 27-year-old forward found out the unfortunate news. “My first thought was just like kind of shock, honestly,” Porter revealed. It was news about his trade to the Brooklyn Nets for his close friend Cam Johnson. The former 14th pick didn’t expect his conversation with Wallace to end in a trade.

However, he did know that the general manager was about to make some changes. Michael Porter Jr., though, wasn’t upset. He relished his time in Denver and appreciated his time in the city. But if there was one thing Porter could change, it would be his final showing while representing the Nuggets.

On his YouTube channel, called the ‘Curious Mike’, MPJ gave his reaction to the trade, “It was tough because I wasn’t able to play the way I wanted to play. I wasn’t able to hoop the way I wanted to hoop in the playoffs because of, you know, my shoulder. It’s still a little messed up… That was hard. That the taste that I left with the Nuggets fans and organization. You know, I really felt like I let the team down this past playoffs. You know, I went out there and I tried, but I was playing with one arm,” Michael Porter Jr. admitted.

Porter suffered an injury in his left shoulder during the first-round series against the Clippers. His postseason production severely dipped because of the ailment. The 27-year-old averaged just 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds, both playoff career lows. However, he couldn’t just abandon his teammates.

Michael Porter Jr. recalls “putting a needle in it every other day trying to get the pain down,”. He still managed some remarkable performances, such as his 21 points in a Game 3 win against the Thunder. But it stings that he couldn’t be at his best when the Nuggets needed him to do so. With that being said, the new Nets forward is excited for what the future holds.

The Nets give him a chance to expand his game. But he couldn’t say goodbye to Denver without thanking two of his longest teammates.

Michael Porter Jr. thanks Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray

Before injuries dropped his stock, Michael Porter Jr. was slated to be a lottery pick. But a back surgery and other procedures led to some doubt. When he arrived in Denver, there was already a set culture. The tandem between Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray was well established. However, they saw the promise within the sharpshooter.

So not only did they develop their own game. But the Joker and Murray did everything to inculcate Porter’s floor spacing skills into the Nuggets’ game plan. Eventually, his presence was instrumental in their championship win two seasons ago. And although he is leaving, the former Nuggets forward wanted to offer his gratitude for accepting him.

“The two guys that were with me along the whole journey, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. I appreciate you guys you know accepting me coming into the team. You know you guys already had your two-man game going on your very potent two-man game, and you know when I came there you guys immediately made me feel comfortable with my game and you guys put me in a position to succeed. So I want to thank all my teammates throughout the years over there in Denver. You know, it’s been great getting to play with you guys and eventually win a championship,” he said in the YouTube video.

He also thanked the Nuggets’ former head coach Michael Malone for aiding is development in this league. Those contributions placed Porter Jr. to be a dynamic offensive threat despite his past history with injuries. It proved that the major surgeries didn’t take away the winning tangibles that existed within him.

His contributions helped him land an extension and become an integral member of a championship team. Now on a different trajectory, Michael Porter Jr. gets the chance to possibly be a mainstay for the Brooklyn Nets and rediscover depth as a player. It’s an exciting time for him. But there’s no doubt he will miss playing in Denver, the place that helped revive his confidence.