I’m human, and a big part of being human is being wrong. It appears that my evaluation of Michael Porter Jr.'s future with the Brooklyn Nets and the possibility of him being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans was wrong. On a recent episode of the Third Apron Podcast, host of Locked On Nets and Nets reporter for ClutchPoints Erik Slater shared an interesting nugget about MPJ’s future in Brooklyn. Slater said that the Nets viewed Porter Jr. as more of a “trade asset” than a “long-term piece” and that his tenure with the black and white could end soon.
Last week I wrote that the fan base hype around Porter Jr. as a potential trade target for the Pelicans needed to stop. I argued that because Brooklyn is trying to compete for a playoff spot next season, the idea of MPJ being dealt before the start of the season was very unlikely.
While I still see the most likely route for MPJ to come to New Orleans as a trade-deadline splash, the door seems much more open for a trade ahead of the 2026-27 season.
Patience still may be the best approach
I’ve highlighted MPJ before as an ideal fit for the Pelicans as a player who shoots the three-ball at an elite rate, rebounds the ball very well, and brings great size at 6-foot-10.
Porter Jr. averaged 24.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per game while shooting 36.3 percent from three on over nine attempts per game. Adding that to a Pelicans team that finished in the bottom five in threes made and had their fair share of issues closing out possessions with defensive rebounds would obviously have its perks.
My biggest question about MPJ is how he’d fit into the Pelicans' new defensive-first identity they are trying to build under Jamahl Mosley. We’ve seen Mosley get productive play from bigger wings who have defensive limitations in the past, like Porter Jr. But with the amount of players Mosley is going to have to maximize defensively, is adding another player with clear defensive flaws ahead of a new season doing your new head coach a disservice? Especially because Brooklyn likely would be looking to take Herb Jones back in the deal to help them remain competitive.
Obviously, the pros of him as a shooter and rebounder would probably outweigh the negative defensive impact he could have at times. However, it still feels like the team is too deep into the offseason to make a massive splash. Mosley has been spending all summer building culture and connecting with his new players, and adding a new player to the locker room could throw all of that off.
Sure, if the price is right, Joe Dumars should pull the trigger on an MPJ deal. But the best route to acquiring him is still at the trade deadline because right now there are still too many unknowns with the 2026-27 Pelicans.
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