Michael Porter Jr. made his priorities clear at Nets Media Day, discussing his desire to remain in Brooklyn, his excitement about playing alongside Julius Randle, and why he believes the Nets can take a major step forward this season.
Michael Porter Jr. is entering his second season with the Brooklyn Nets, and after getting a year to adjust to his new surroundings, the veteran forward is feeling much more comfortable heading into the 2026-27 season.
Porter spoke with reporters Monday at Nets Media Day ahead of the start of training camp, discussing Brooklyn’s revamped roster, his chemistry with Julius Randle, the development of the team’s young players and his desire to continue building with the Nets.
One of the biggest changes for Brooklyn this season is the addition of Randle, who gives the Nets another experienced scorer and playmaker alongside Porter.
Porter believes the two-time All-Star can have a major impact on his game.
“Julius is going to be a huge boost for us,” Porter said.
Porter said Randle’s ability to draw double teams, attack the basket and create for teammates should open up opportunities for him, particularly from three-point range. He even joked that if the two eventually play one-on-one, he plans to win by trading two-point baskets for threes.
More seriously, Porter believes their games complement each other well.
“I think our games complement each other perfectly,” Porter said.
Porter also expects to benefit from the continued development of Brooklyn’s young core. He specifically pointed to the improvement he has seen from Egor Dëmin and Mikel Brown Jr., praising both players for the work they put in during the offseason.
Porter said Dëmin looks more comfortable handling the ball, getting downhill and finishing around the basket, while Brown’s maturity has stood out to him despite being a rookie.
“It doesn't feel like he's a rookie when he's in the locker room, when he's on the court,” Porter said of Brown.
That development could be especially important for Porter, who is hoping to become an even more efficient offensive weapon this season.
After getting a full season to understand his role in Brooklyn, Porter said he spent the offseason working on his conditioning and ball control. His goal is to become “the best off-the-ball player in the NBA,” with his cutting and catch-and-shoot ability playing a major role.
Playing in Jordi Fernández’s system should also give Porter plenty of opportunities to attack from deep. Porter said Fernández encourages the team to play fast, take threes early in the shot clock and trust their shots.
For Porter, that freedom is important.
“Jordi wants me to take those shots, and he believes I can make them,” Porter said.
Porter was also asked about the outside expectations surrounding Brooklyn after the Nets were given vastly different projections for the upcoming season. Las Vegas has Brooklyn’s over/under at 24.5 wins, while ESPN has projected the Nets to win 18 games.
Porter acknowledged that the Eastern Conference is loaded, but he has no interest in lowering expectations.
“I do genuinely believe that you're supposed to go out on the floor every night with delusional confidence and compete to win,” Porter said.
That confidence extends beyond this season. With Brooklyn currently discussing a potential contract extension with him, Porter made it clear that the negotiations are not dominating his attention.
Instead, he said his focus is on basketball and helping the Nets continue to grow.
“I've voiced that I would love to be in Brooklyn,” Porter said. “I'm enjoying playing with these guys, and I think we'll be a lot better this year.”
After spending his first season learning a new organization and a new role, Porter now enters Year 2 with a better understanding of what Brooklyn is trying to build.
And if the young players take the steps he expects, while Randle provides another creator alongside him, Porter believes the Nets have plenty of room to surprise people this season.
