The Nets are witnessing Porter Jr. step up big as a scorer. But is it altering roster moves for Brooklyn?
The Brooklyn Nets look like they're holding back their fingers from pressing the reset button.
Brooklyn sits at a dismal 6-17 overall -- but has delivered a strong start to December. Michael Porter Jr. going off on the scoring end is a big reason why.
The Nets have won three of their last four games, including Porter dropping 35 points on the New Orleans Pelicans in Brooklyn's last win.
Still, questions remain on if the front office should rearrange the roster -- including moving Porter.
Erik Slater of ClutchPoints believes the general manager is feeling some heat in deciding what to do with the 2025-26 roster.
"Sean Marks should be feeling pressure to maximize Brooklyn's 2026 first-round selection. The GM traded four first-round picks to the Houston Rockets in June of 2024 to reacquire Brooklyn's 2025 and 2026 first-rounders. One of those four picks was the Phoenix Suns' 2025 first-rounder, which the Nets finished just two spots ahead of in June's draft after exceeding expectations last season," Slater wrote.
"We have one pick in 2026, and we hope to get a good pick. So you can predict what kind of strategy we will use for this season,” Tsai said.
The Nets' rout of the Pelicans moved them out of the draft lottery rankings (tied for fifth among teams teetering towards lottery status). Now they're 3.5 games behind the team with the current likeliest odds to land the top pick New Orleans.
"The Nets have looked like the superior team during their recent matchups with other tanking squads. They've won their last five games against sub-.500 teams with Porter Jr. in the lineup, posting a +14.8 net rating. Remove him from the equation, and they're 0-4 with two losses to sub-.500 teams, posting a -15.7 net rating," Slater added.
Again, Porter has exploded during this roll the Nets are on. He's scored 30 or more points in the last three games. He even produced 35 on the Charlotte Hornets to start the month of December. He's dropped four more 30-point outings this season.
Denver traded away Porter in June 2025 -- which also meant taking on Porter's remaining $38.3 million he was owed. Forward Cam Johnson was part of the deal to land Porter.
But now, Porter's recent stellar play has complicated any tanking efforts or future trade assets as he's put together one of the stronger Decembers in the league this season.