The Denver Nuggets matched up against the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, and it was the first time the team had gone up against Michael Porter Jr. since the trade this past offseason. Over the summer, the Nuggets re-hauled their roster, which included trading Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick to the Nets for Cameron Johnson.

Porter Jr. was a good player for the Nuggets, but it seemed as if they needed a change, and moving off his salary opened the door for more depth pieces to come into Denver. However, Porter Jr. got the best of the Nuggets on Sunday, scoring a team-high 27 points en route to a 127-115 win for the Nets.

Before the contest, Nuggets head coach David Adelman was asked about Porter Jr., addressing the trade that many are now calling a win for the Nets and a loss for the Nuggets.

"I thought we used him the right way. I’m sure he would disagree with me completely, which is ok. But we won a lot of games doing it that way. It’s cool to see him have more freedom under Jordi," Adelman said.

That freedom Adelman is speaking of has led to Porter Jr. having a career season, averaging career-bests in points (25.8 PPG), rebounds (7.5 RPG), and assists (3.3 APG). The Nets are still one of the worst teams in the league, and it's led to Porter Jr. being rumored as a top trade target, with the Golden State Warriors being a team linked to him.

As for the other side of the deal, with Cameron Johnson, he's having his worst scoring season since his second season in Phoenix, as he's averaging 11.7 points on 46.1% shooting from the field. But, the situation in Denver isn't asking for him to shoot as much, and he's contributing a 42.9% rate from three-point range.

Additionally, Adelman spoke about Porter Jr.'s presence in the locker room, and how he's missed it.

"I miss the conversation. I think a lot of people are scared to be themselves nowadays. Mike is not. People scoff at that sometimes because maybe they’re scared to say what they actually think. Mike’s gonna say it, whether you agree with him or not," he added.

Porter Jr. was under the criticism of many this offseason for his constant appearances on social media and podcasts, but it seems to have been reflective of how he is in the locker room, and something good for the team.

Regardless, the two sides have moved on, and the Nets have to be happy with what they got in return.