Denver Nuggets: 3 players facing most pressure in 2019-20

3. Michael Porter Jr.

Michael Porter Jr. will likely have his option picked up for the 2020-21 season no matter what. However, his injuries are continuing to hurt his stock both with the Denver Nuggets and in the NBA as a whole.

He needs to get on the floor to prove his value and be the player the Nuggets thought they were getting when they drafted him at 13th overall. Through one season and two Summer Leagues, Porter hasn’t suited up for a minute of NBA basketball.

It appeared he was set to make his debut earlier this summer before a knee injury sidelined him from play. Since then, he has remained on the sidelines and an afterthought for Denver. Denver’s weakest point in their starting five is at the small forward spot.

If he were close to his pre-draft projections, he would fit in perfectly with this team as another scorer on the wing with a good amount of size.

Unfortunately, he hasn’t been that for them, and we have no idea when we’re going to see him on the floor. The team added Jerami Grant on the wing to give them more depth at that spot and that isn’t exactly a glowing review on Porter’s health.

He’ll likely be coming off the bench for Denver, but his role looks to be extremely small as the third or even fourth small forward as things stand right now. He’ll have to show at some point this year why that’s too low for him to be.