Don’t fumble the bag

There were already concerns around Michael Porter Jr. going into the 2018 draft due to him needing lower-back surgery. When Porter dropped to No. 14, the Nuggets jumped on the opportunity to take him. Since arriving in Denver, Porter has been the third leg of the Nuggets’ offensive trio, averaging 19 ppg last season. It was enough for the Nuggets to offer him a 5-year, $172 million rookie extension, setting him up to make an average of $34 million a year. It makes sense for the small-market Nuggets to lock up any talent with All-Star potential. However, two months after signing the extension, it was announced he would miss the remainder of this season, as he would be undergoing a third back surgery.

There are significant medical concerns with Porter and the back issues have only gotten worse. Porter may never fulfill the expectations laid out by his contract. If this occurs, the Nuggets will be facing a massive hit to their cap, limiting their maneuvering and making Porter an impossible piece to move. If he can’t stay on the court, he could easily be seen as the worst contract in the NBA, since he had yet to breach the 20 ppg mark even before his third back surgery.

The Kristaps Porziņģis trade was the biggest trade swing of Mark Cuban’s ownership. It made a lot of sense at the time. They had just drafted a generational talent in Luka Dončić. Why not pair him with a “unicorn” sidekick? Unfortunately, things hadn’t progressed the way Cuban imagined when he signed Porziņģis to a five-year $158 contract extension while he was still rehabbing from a torn ACL in his left knee, suffered while still with the New York Knicks. Since arriving in Dallas, he has suffered a litany of other injuries, most notably missing extended time in the playoffs, leaving all the heavy lifting to Dončić.

His relationship with Dončić has been icy at best, leaving Mav fans to have to pick at the scraps of games where Porziņģis actually plays and scores over 10 pints as “wins.” In the deal, the Porziņģis contract and two picks sent to New York have stifled Dallas from adding talent around Dončić, causing Dončić to have to carry a heavier load, alongside worse teammates, than any other superstar in the league. Moving on from an often-injured big with an inflated ego who plays better when Dončić is out is one hell of a tricky proposition. But the future of Dončić in Dallas might depend on how new General Manager Nico Harrison can maneuver Prozingis hefty $37 million per year, for three years, out the door.

Tobias Harris fooled us all. His short stint with the undermanned Los Angeles Clippers for a season and a half had us thinking he was turning a corner into All-Star territory. He had always been a swiss-army knife two-way player while in Detroit, but he hit career highs with the Clips for 21 ppg in 2018-2019, prompting the 76ers to make a midseason trade for him. He was thought to be the perimeter weapon they were missing, forming an All-Star trio with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. The five-year, $180 million contract he signed upon arriving in Philly certainly supported that assumption.

While the firestorm caused by the organization and Simmons has dominated most headlines, Harris has been a heavy disappointment for the team. His stats look good on paper, he’s averaging 18, 7, and 4 this season, but his PER has yet to jump over 20 PER, where most “star” level players sit. Since arriving in Philly, his defense has also never warranted the “two-way” title given to him early in his career. He was dominant in the first-round series with Washington in 2021, averaging 25, 10, and 4. But he hasn’t made that consistent throughout Philly’s playoff record with him. He sits at a 17.8 ppg average in playoff games with the 76ers, shooting a measly 31 percent from three and a paltry 45 percent overall shooting from the field. So it’s not a surprise Philly is now looking to attach his contract to any ensuing Simmons trade in an attempt to hit reset on two out of three of their “star” triumvirate.

Marcus Morris is precisely the kind of dawg you want on your team. He’s a vocal, lead by example kind of dude. He was responsible for the initial culture turn-around during his half-season with the New York Knicks. Once he arrived at the Clippers, he provided the intensity the Clips needed since Paul George and Kawhi Leonard prefer to let their games do their talking. But with the combined salaries of Leonard and George ($88 million combined, annually), the Clippers will have a difficult time surrounding their superstar duo with supporting talent. But Morris is 32 this season and will be 34 when his contract with the Clips ends in 2023 - 2024. The Clippers do not have many young assets under 25, outside of Ivica Zubac and Terance Mann. So youth will be crucial moving forward as the Clippers continue to retool around Leonard and George.

Since arriving, Morris has been the third-best player on the team but could be the best trade chip moving forward if the Clips aim to get younger. Moreover, Morris is best in ISO situations, which isn’t the best fit next to two superstar-level players who also need the ball in their hands. His contract isn’t too inflated at a little under $16 million this season, but with his age and ball-dominant skill-set, it could be difficult to move him for a more dynamic, young asset as ages.

The inclusion of Gobert might surprise some. But when you think about what Gobert gives the Jazz, compared to the astronomical price tag, you know this contract will come back to haunt them. Especially the last three years, where he is set to average $43 million per year. That much for 16 ppg? With Gobert, it’s all about the defense, but with that price tag, you better be getting a dependable scoring rate in the playoffs. Unfortunately, his 13.6 playoff average won’t cut it. At some point, for a small market team like the Jazz, that five-year contract will make or break their championship aspirations.

Gobert is a beast on the boards and the block. As a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, it’s obvious the value he brings on that side of the court. But offensively, he hasn’t evolved past the rim-running lob threat he’s always been. The contract would be more digestible if he could add a three-point shot to his arsenal, like most modern bigs, which he has shown no signs of doing. But for a team with small market limitations, free agency is not an option for improvement, neither is the draft with the Jazz consistent regular-season success. That leaves the trade market the only option for teams like the Jazz, making moving Gobert’s massive deal nearly impossible in the coming years. This makes it all the more crucial Gobert finally learns to expand his game.