{"id":134443,"date":"2025-04-15T00:18:42","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T04:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=134443"},"modified":"2025-04-15T00:18:42","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T04:18:42","slug":"kroenke-confirms-that-key-player-is-not-untouchable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/04\/15\/kroenke-confirms-that-key-player-is-not-untouchable\/","title":{"rendered":"Kroenke Confirms That Key Player Is Not Untouchable"},"content":{"rendered":"

Denver Nuggets<\/a> vice chairman Josh Kroenke has officially responded to recent speculation involving forward Michael Porter Jr<\/a>. The rumor claimed Kroenke wouldn\u2019t approve a trade for MPJ due to a sentimental tie\u2014both men share roots at the University of Missouri. Kroenke wasted no time in shutting it down. \u201cThat\u2019s completely false,\u201d Kroenke said<\/a>. \u201cIf it wasn\u2019t such a serious accusation, I would probably laugh a little harder.\u201d His response made it clear: no player is untouchable, not even Porter.<\/p>\n

Kroenke Confirms That Key Player, Michael Porter Jr Is Not Untouchable<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Porter\u2019s Journey Earns Respect, Not Immunity<\/h3>\n

Kroenke acknowledged Porter\u2019s growth and resilience. Multiple back surgeries nearly derailed Porter\u2019s career before it started. Since returning to full health, MPJ has developed into a key starter.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of Michael,\u201d Kroenke said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But admiration doesn\u2019t translate to immunity. Kroenke emphasized that the franchise will consider any trade that improves the team.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe’re open to trading anybody possible to improve the team,\u201d he said<\/a>. \u201cThat\u2019s the reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cohesion Will Dictate Future Moves<\/h3>\n

Kroenke<\/a> also clarified what would dictate future trades\u2014organizational unity. He doesn\u2019t want to green-light trades if the front office isn\u2019t aligned.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to be green-lighting any trades around here when I don\u2019t see complete organizational cohesion,\u201d he said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This approach highlights the aftermath<\/a> of firing head coach Michael Malone and GM Calvin Booth. The firings signaled a new chapter. If trades are to follow, they will reflect the next phase of the Nuggets\u2019 long-term vision.<\/p>\n

MPJ\u2019s On-Court Value Is Undeniable<\/h3>\n

Porter has grown into the Nuggets\u2019 third option behind Nikola Joki\u0107<\/a> and Jamal Murray<\/a>. He averaged 18.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game this season. His shooting splits\u201450.4% from the field, 39.5% from three, and 76.8% at the line\u2014make him a premier floor spacer.<\/p>\n

The Nuggets rank fifth<\/a> in three-point percentage but dead last<\/a> in three-point frequency. That makes MPJ\u2019s shooting even more valuable to Denver\u2019s system.<\/p>\n

At 26, Porter is entering his prime. He signed a five-year, $179 million<\/a> contract in 2022. This season alone, he earned over $35 million. Teams are interested in him, but his price tag adds hesitation.<\/p>\n

Homegrown Core, Limited Options<\/h3>\n

The Nuggets have built a rare core through internal development. Jokic, Murray, and Porter are all homegrown stars. That continuity has fueled their success.<\/p>\n

However, with 13 players already under contract for next season, the Nuggets face limited flexibility. They\u2019re projected to stay about $7 million under the second tax apron. That margin gives them little room for major signings. So, if the playoffs end in disappointment, the only path to change might be through the trade market.<\/p>\n

The Future Hinges on Postseason Results<\/h3>\n

While Kroenke stands by his core, the reality is clear: no one is guaranteed to stay. Porter may be important now, but future moves will depend on playoff outcomes and internal alignment.<\/p>\n

Denver isn\u2019t panicking yet. But should the team fall short, hard decisions may follow\u2014and Porter could be part of those discussions. For now, Kroenke\u2019s message is direct: Porter is valuable, but not untouchable.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Denver Nuggets vice chairman Josh Kroenke has officially responded to recent speculation involving forward Michael Porter Jr. The rumor claimed Kroenke wouldn\u2019t approve a trade for MPJ due to a sentimental tie\u2014both men share roots at the University of Missouri. Kroenke wasted no time in shutting it down. \u201cThat\u2019s completely false,\u201d Kroenke said. \u201cIf it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":134451,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,20,3],"tags":[49979,50041,49613,1223,4975,49742,49628],"class_list":["post-134443","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-nuggets","category-news","tag-2024-25-nba-season","tag-2025-nba-playoffs","tag-josh-kroenke","tag-michael-porter-jr","tag-nba-contracts","tag-salary-cap","tag-second-apron"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134443","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=134443"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134443\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":134454,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/134443\/revisions\/134454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/134451"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=134443"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=134443"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=134443"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}