Image: Michael Porter Jr. and Torrey Craig
Michael Porter Jr. was a beloved part of the Nuggets for seven years. YouTube
As Michael Porter Jr. leaves the Denver Nuggets for the Brooklyn Nets, he'll be leaving behind good memories with the Mile High City, where he started his career and won a championship.
One of his last gestures of goodwill to Denver came as a short-lived spokesperson for Mayor Mike Johnston's YouthWorks Initiative, which pays teens and young adults $500 for working over the summer.
"Michael Porter Jr. wanted to be involved with the program because he was excited about it," Jordan Fuja, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, says. "He just wanted to make a video promoting the program."
A beloved member of the 2023 champion squad and an exciting scorer when he was "on," MPJ volunteered to make a promotional video for Johnston's mayoral Instagram, where the 6'10 forward addresses the "young people of Denver" and encourages them to sign up for the program. Two weeks later, he and a 2032 first-round pick were traded to the Nets for forward Cam Johnson.
Anyone between fourteen and 21 can apply to YouthWorks before July 2 to receive $500 once they complete 100 hours of work by August 15. The mayor's office didn't have to pay Porter Jr. to do the plug for YouthWorks, according to the city.
"The mayor's YouthWorks initiative can help you gain job experience while making some extra bread," MPJ says in the video. "Go ahead and make some extra money, man. Do yourself a favor."
Although the video first went up on June 12, it popped up on Instagram feeds again on June 30, just before the application period closed for YouthWorks and the day that Porter Jr. was traded.
The 27-year-old forward will head to Brooklyn with two years left on his contract; he is set to make $38 million in the upcoming season and $41 million in the 2026-2027 season.
Trade rumors surrounding MPJ popped up during the trade deadline last season. Instead, the biggest change the Nuggets ended up making was firing coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth with four games left in the regular season. The Nuggets beat the Clippers in a close first-round series but lost in the second round in seven games to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the ultimate NBA champs.
Porter Jr. likely didn't know when he made his promo for YouthWorks that it would be his last shout-out to Denver as a Nugget. He might still make a farewell post, just as Malone took out an ad in the Denver Post to thank Nuggets Nation, but it'll be as a member of the Nets.
On Monday, the Nuggets also signed a one-year deal with free agent Bruce Brown immediately after trading Porter Jr. Brown was a part of the 2023 Nuggets championship team along with Porter Jr. and a fan favorite as a clutch sixth man on the roster. On Tuesday, the Nuggets added more depth to the bench by trading seldom-used forward/center Dario Šarić to the Sacramento Kings for center Jonas Valančiūnas, who is expected to back up Nikola Jokić.
Perhaps the mayor's office could reach out to Brown if it wants a popular face for another initiative like reopening and rebranding 16th Street Mall. If there's one thing Denver can rally behind, it's the Nuggets.
"We’re grateful to MJP for reaching out to ask how he can support the Denver community. He lent his voice to our conversation with youth to inform them about opportunities with the city. We wish him luck on his next adventure and have no doubt he’ll impact his new community just like he made an impact on ours," reads a statement from the Denver mayor's office.