Nets' Michael Porter Jr. Extension Talks Ongoing, No Urgency Expected

Extension talks between the Brooklyn Nets and forward Michael Porter Jr. are ongoing, but neither side appears to be in a hurry to reach an agreement. Porter, who led the Nets in scoring last season with a career-best performance, is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the current season. He has been eligible for an extension since July 6.

"Yeah, I’ll leave the negotiations internal," Nets General Manager Sean Marks stated. "That’s obviously between the Nets and Mike and his agent. But they’re ongoing. The dialogue is ongoing. But again, we are in no hurry to do this. I don’t think he’s in any particular hurry either."

Marks added, "If there’s a meeting point that we feel like, ‘Hey, this works for both sides,’ then that’ll happen. But as we’ve mentioned before, this is not something that there’s an expiry date on it in the next couple of months either. So we both have time. Both sides have time to figure this one out."

Porter, 28, is currently on an expiring contract worth $40.8 million. He is eligible for a maximum four-year, $234 million deal. However, it is unlikely he will receive the full amount. The forward expressed his desire to remain in Brooklyn, emphasizing his focus on the team and the organization's development.

"I’ve voiced that I’d love to be in Brooklyn and that I’m enjoying playing with these guys," Porter said. "And I think we’ll be a lot better this year, obviously. … The way these young guys have gotten better just in one year, I’m excited to see what we can do. So that’s where my mind is at and I’m not even thinking about anything else."

Porter's performance in the previous season showed a dip after January. He averaged 25.6 points on 48.2 percent shooting and 39.8 percent from three-point range before the All-Star break. Following an All-Star snub, his production decreased to 20.5 points on 40.9 percent shooting, including 25.6 percent from deep, in his final 14 games.

Marks highlighted the need for consistency from Porter, stating, "For Mike to come in here, to own that opportunity that he had, have a great year, for us we’re looking for consistency from him. We’re looking for him to take another step on the defensive end of it, rebounding. So just become more of a complete player on the court."

He also stressed the importance of leadership from veteran players, including Porter. "The other one is what can you do [with] the intangibles. That’s important for us in the locker room. Not just Mike — this goes for all the guys, specifically the guys who are a little older, who’ve seen it, been around. What’s their leadership look like? Can they take another step in that category? And Mike knows that. We’re expecting big things from not only himself and Moe [Wagner], and Keon [Ellis] and Julius [Randle]. … We’re asking them to lead by example."