The Brooklyn Nets have begun the offseason with some disappointing news as they went from having the No. 3 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft to the No. 6 pick after the Lottery. Brooklyn can still take a quality player with that pick, but there are other matters for them to address, potentially involving whether they should still explore trade opportunities for their best player this season.
Forward Michael Porter Jr. was one of the main players involved in trade rumors during the 2025-26 season, especially with the way that he began the campaign looking like a potential All-Star. As the February trade deadline drew closer, Porter’s name came up more often as other teams were looking for upgrades prior to the playoffs, but he ended up staying in Brooklyn. What should the Nets do now?
“Back in January, The Athletic’s John Hollinger reported hearing from ‘trusted league sources’ that Porter was ‘a lock to move by the deadline,'” Zach Buckley wrote for Bleacher Report when explaining why Porter is still regarded by some as a realistic trade target. “That obviously didn’t happen, and the Nets might have less incentive to shop him now since they don’t control their 2027 first-round pick and therefore have no incentive to tank.”
As Buckley pointed out, Hollinger was one of a few people reporting during the season on Porter’s interest around the league at the time along with which teams were interested in him. Despite admitting that he checked out on the season after the All-Star break, Porter said in his exit interview that he wanted to stay with the Nets to be part of the rebuild after what he was able to do during his first season in Brooklyn.
Porter, 27, had the best season of his career as he averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.3% from behind the three-point line. Time will tell if general manager Sean Marks decides to trade Porter away despite both parties wanting to continue the partnership, but that decision will likely be influenced by the options Brooklyn has heading into next season’s trade deadline.
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Should the Nets still explore trades involving Michael Porter Jr.?
Reporting by Sharif Phillips-Keaton, Nets Wire / Nets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
