Denver Nuggets’ Michael Porter Jr to be cleared for on-court contact this week, aiming to return in March

Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr is one step closer to returning to the floor this season. Porter is expected to be clear for on-court contact this week, setting him up to join the Nuggets for the final stretch of the regular season and the playoffs.

After undergoing lumbar spine surgery, the former first-round pick has been out for the last three months. The procedure is said to have gone well, letting Porter return to the floor moving and shooting pain-free in recent weeks.

At age 23, Michael Porter Jr averaged 19 points on 54% shooting, including 44.5% shooting from the 3-point range. He was one of five players in the NBA to average 15 points on 50% shooting from the field and 40% from 3 for the 2020-21 season. Porter’s impact on a Nuggets team that rose to 6th place in the West without guard Jamal Murray can be significant, while Nikola Jokic is chasing back-to-back MVP awards.