Third Apron has gone back and forth on Porter Jr.’s value on his current contract, but something in the mid-$30 million range, like Bridges’ recent deal, makes sense. The Nets could use roughly $9 million of their cap space to raise his $40.8 million salary to his $49.5 million maximum salary. They could then add up to four additional seasons with his 2027-28 salary reduced by 40 percent.
Here’s an example of a framework that could make sense:
2026-27: $40,806,150 $49,500,000 (30 percent of the salary cap)
2027-28: $29,700,000 (18 percent)
2028-29: $32,076,000 (18.5 percent)
2029-30: $34,452,000 (18.9 percent)
2030-31: $36,828,000 (19.3 percent)
Such a framework could pay Porter Jr. a lucrative deal over multiple years while keeping his annual salary lower in the later seasons. That could increase his trade value in the future if he continues playing well on a team-friendly contract.