Michael Porter Jr.’s first season with the Nets has moved well past novelty and into something more concrete. To head coach Jordi Fernández, the label is no longer up for debate.
“I mean, he’s an All-Star,” Fernández said. “He’s played like an All-Star, you just got to watch him play, and how much better he’s gotten.”
The production backs it up. Porter entered Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers at Barclays Center averaging 26.1 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 49.5% from the field and 41.1% from 3-point range, numbers that represent the most expansive offensive role of his career. But Fernández is just as focused on how those numbers are being generated.
What stands out, he explained, is how much Porter’s game has grown beyond the shot-making that first defined him. The scoring remains elite, but it’s now paired with career highs in rebounding, free-throw attempts and assists, along with a growing influence on how the Nets compete possession to possession.
That impact isn’t always obvious in the box score. It shows up in how Porter moves defenders, how he works without the ball, and how often his presence bends a possession before anyone else touches it. Fernández admitted his initial vision for Porter involved more isolation.
That plan didn’t last long.
Instead, the Nets have leaned into Porter’s off-ball instincts. Cutting, relocating, sprinting into space. Those actions have created advantages for teammates just as much as they’ve created shots for Porter himself. He’s also taken on a career-high shooting diet from deep, launching nearly 10 3-point attempts per game, a volume that forces defenses to account for him well beyond the arc.
“When he came in, I was like, ‘Hey Mike, maybe I’ll throw some isos for you,’” Fernández said. “And he was so excited. And then the season started, and I don’t iso him.”
MOVING LIKE A VET
Terance Mann’s role in Brooklyn has required adjustment. Not just on the floor, but within the fabric of the roster.
“I think he’s learning how to be a young, old man,” Fernández said.
Mann has been asked to step into a veteran role earlier than expected, becoming one of Brooklyn’s steady voices despite still being in his late 20s. With a roster that skews young and continues to churn due to injuries and absences, his presence has mattered beyond any single stat line.
“He’s done an amazing job with adjusting to a new team, finding his play and at the same time, being a good vet,” Fernández said. “Showing these guys the way to do things, communicate with them, hold them accountable.”
EXPANDING HIS IMPACT
Noah Clowney’s increased 3-point volume hasn’t narrowed his game. It’s opened it.
“You still want to do your job and not every day the shots are going to go in,” Fernández said. “But Noah just impacts the game in so many different ways.”
Clowney’s willingness to shoot has changed how defenses guard him, creating space to drive, finish or draw fouls. At the same time, Fernández emphasized that Clowney’s foundation remains on the defensive end, where his size and activity have translated into rebounds, contests and second efforts that don’t always show up cleanly in the box score.
“With reps, more minutes, all those things are going to continue to get better,” Fernández said. “And that’s why we think very highly of Noah.”
