Denver Nuggets head coach said the team has no real update on Michael Porter Jr.’s injured back, but that the forward is expected to about for the “foreseeable future”. Porter was injured in a game against the Houston Rockets over the weekend. He underwent testing on Monday and will continue to have more testing done in coming days.
When asked for clarification on a timeline, Malone said “Michael could be back in a week. It could be longer than that. When I say foreseeable future, I’m not really sure what that means.”
Porter slipped in the 2018 NBA Draft due to concerns about a back injury suffered while at Missouri. Porter has already had two back surgeries. However, he had a breakout season in 2020-21. Porter averaged 19.1 points and 7.3 rebounds, while playing in 61 games.
That strong season led to the Nuggets and Porter agreeing to a five-year, $172.5 million max contract extension. Denver did protect themselves some, as the final season is partially guaranteed with triggers related to games played and performance in the prior seasons.