Michael Porter Jr. is officially out for Monday’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers with a hamstring injury. The timing couldn’t be worse. He just exploded for a season-high 36 points in Denver’s 125-113 win over the Pelicans. On top of that, his name has been buzzing in trade rumors leading up to the deadline.

Now, with him sidelined, the Nuggets have to adjust fast. The bigger concern? How serious is this injury? And could it affect Denver’s plans moving forward? Denver hasn’t given a timeline for his return. That’s never great news. Given Porter’s injury history, every setback feels like a red flag.

But it looks like the Nuggets are being extra careful to avoid a longer absence.

Throughout the beginning of the season, Porter established himself as a consistent performer for Denver. The fact that he participated in every game this season carries significant weight since he has a history of medical issues. Porter Jr. has established averages of 19 points and 6.5 rebounds together with 2.2 assists in the season as he brings scoring and spacing abilities to the lineup with Jokic and Murray.

Man, even a couple of missed games could throw Denver off completely right now. They’re in the middle of a playoff race, and every game counts. If key guys are out, the backups are going to have to step up big time—and that’s a lot of pressure. This is the kind of stretch that really tests a team’s depth. Can they hold it together, or is this going to shake things up right when they can’t afford it?

Trade Rumors and Michael Malone’s Firm Denial

And speaking of uncertainty, let’s talk trade rumors. Porter’s name has been everywhere lately. He’s the only Denver player eligible to be traded who makes over $9 million this season. If the Nuggets wanted to make a move, he’d be the most obvious trade piece.

But Michael Malone isn’t buying it. “We’re not trading Michael Porter,” Malone said after the Pelicans game. “I’m not even touching base with anybody on that. If something comes up, [GM Calvin Booth] will talk with me, and we’ll communicate with the players. But Michael is a really important piece. He helped us win a championship.”

Well, that’s pretty clear.

As for Porter? He’s handling the rumors like a pro. “As long as I’m here, I’m going to be here,” he said. “I’ll be happy, play hard, and try to help win games. If they ever decided to trade me, I’d be excited for a new opportunity. But… it’s not something I think about at all.”

To shut things down even further, Porter also said Denver’s front office personally reassured him that the rumors were just noise. It makes sense. Porter is in year three of his five-year, $179 million max deal, with $80 million still left after this season. His chemistry with Jokic and Murray keeps improving, and Denver clearly values him as part of their long-term plans.

So yeah, he’s out against Portland, which isn’t ideal. But there’s no panic in the ‘Mile High City’.

For now, the focus is on getting Michael Porter Jr. healthy and making sure this doesn’t turn into a bigger issue. Unless something crazy happens, Porter is still a huge part of the Nuggets’ championship defense—once he gets back on the court.