After injury derailed the hot start to his career, MPJ is back and thriving in the Mile High City — check out the details behind the Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. contract.
An all-world prospect out of Seattle by way of Columbia, Missouri, Michael Porter Jr.’s rise through the prep ranks felt like a story of foregone conclusions. His father, MPJ Sr., accompanied his journey to the Pacific Northwest, joining the coaching staff at the University of Washington. After Huskies boss Lorenzo Romar got the sack, however, the elder Porter found himself catching on right back home with the Missouri Tigers.
His son, the 5-star jewel of college basketball’s 2017 recruiting cycle, would follow — only for his seemingly inevitable ascent to be derailed by a back injury that saw him fall to 14th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft and miss the entirety of what should have been his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets. After finally emerging as an impact starter in 2020-21, a third back surgery cut his following season short. Michael Malone’s team had seen enough of the rangy forward’s sky-high potential, however, to offer him a 25% rookie max extension worth $179.3 million over five years.
These days, MPJ is a matchup nightmare whose salary number could come to look awfully affordable if he can fully own the persona of Denver’s third star alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.
With that in mind, check out the finer details behind the Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr. contract extension.
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Michael Porter Jr. Contract Details & Salary
All dollar figures via Spotrac.
Years: 5
Total value: $179,299,750
Average annual value: $35,859,950
Free agency: 2027
Contract extension salary numbers:
2022-23: $30,913,750
2023-24: $33,386,850
2024-25: $35,859,950
2025-26: $38,333,050
2026-27: $40,806,150 (partially guaranteed)
MPJ’s base guaranteed salary for the final year of his rookie max contract is just $12 million, but escalates to $17 million if he makes a single NBA All-Star team. The deal becomes fully guaranteed at $40.806M if he satisfies any one of these scenarios:
- Remains a member of the team through the July 2026 roster moratorium period
- Makes two All-Star teams
- Named All-NBA or All-Defense
- Wins NBA MVP or Defensive Player of the Year
- Wins NBA championship while meeting thresholds for minimum games played
Michael Porter Jr.’s Career Earnings
Salary data via Spotrac.
NBA SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2022-23: $45,795,008
ESTIMATED SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2026-27: $194,181,008
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