At the start of August, Michael Porter Jr. picked up steam as a name many New Orleans Pelicans fans fell in love with as a potential trade target. Nothing came of those dreams, but here we are at the start of September with the same conversation about rounding out the offseason by trading for MPJ. I’m all for adding an elite shooter and high-level scorer to this team, but fans need to realize a move like trading for Porter Jr. isn’t going to happen now.
The Brooklyn Nets are looking to win games next year. Brooklyn does not control its own first-round pick this season. After acquiring Julius Randle, drafting Mikel Brown Jr., and adding quality depth in free agency, they are going to try to compete in the Eastern Conference, and MPJ is a massive part of that. Last season he was nearly an All-Star, averaging 24.2 points per game, and moving him for a package that doesn’t make the Pelicans better doesn’t make sense.
This doesn’t rule out the possibility of a deal later down the line, but fans should brace themselves to be disappointed if they are hoping for MPJ to be in a Pels jersey on opening night.
MPJ trade could happen, just not now
Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez has been waiting for the opportunity to coach winning basketball and focus on results over development, and the time for that is now.
Obviously, the future still matters to Brooklyn, but they have no real reason to tank games or not try to make the postseason, since Houston has the rights to their pick. That being said, if they get to the deadline and MPJ, who is on a one-year contract and isn’t overly likely to return to Brooklyn, is still there, then a trade with the Pelicans could be realistic.
The other reason that scenario is far more realistic is that the Pelicans like their roster, plain and simple. If the Pelicans wanted to trade for Porter Jr. or a player of his caliber, they would’ve done so way early in the offseason. While many of us may not like it, Joe Dumars and Troy Weaver think very highly of this collection of players and feel that, with the right coaching, they can compete. Whether you agree or disagree with that approach, that’s the path they’ve chosen, and it’s unlikely to change a month before training camp.
Again, don’t get me wrong, I’d love MPJ on this team. At 6-foot-10, he shot 36.3 percent from three on more than nine attempts per game last season. He’s an elite rebounder on the wing, averaging 7.2 per game last season, and he can play both on and off the ball. All things that would make this team better.
But the chances of him being traded to not just the Pelicans but any team are basically zero. Come the deadline, if the Nets are struggling and the Pelicans are in the playoff hunt, that’s when a trade could happen, but now: no.
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