Michael Porter Jr. isn't holding back. After watching his former team, the Denver Nuggets, get bounced in the first round of the playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Brooklyn Nets sharpshooter had a clear message: "Shouldn't have traded me, man."

Porter Jr. made the comments during a livestream with internet personality N3on, and his words carry extra weight after a career-best season in Brooklyn. The 6'10" forward averaged 24.3 points per game in 2025-26, establishing himself as one of the league's premier scorers. Meanwhile, the player the Nuggets acquired in exchange for him, Cameron Johnson, averaged just 12.2 points per game — his lowest output since the 2021-22 season.

The trade was part of Denver's effort to retool around three-time MVP Nikola Jokic after last season's second-round exit to the Oklahoma City Thunder. But Porter Jr. revealed that the Nuggets may have been selling low on him. He played through a serious shoulder injury during that playoff run, requiring injections before every game.

"I made myself look really bad because I'm playing through a crazy injury. Can't even lift my arm," Porter Jr. explained. "Every time I shot, my shoulder would pop. I'm getting a needle into my shoulder every game."

Now fully healthy and thriving in Brooklyn, Porter Jr. believes he could have been the difference-maker Denver needed to avoid this year's early playoff exit. And with the Nets looking to build around their new star, Porter Jr. is optimistic about the future — even if he's still keeping tabs on his old squad's missteps.