What is Michael Porter Jr.'s contract breakdown for his $172 million max extension? Here are the numbers

The Denver Nuggets recently signed combo forward Michael Porter Jr. to a five-year maximum extension that could be worth up to $207 million. The Nuggets now have three players that are on a maximum contract - 2020-21 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Canadian point guard Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr.

Porter Jr. extension will at least fetch him $172 million over 5 years, and in this article, we will explain the breakdown of his contract.

Breaking down Michael Porter Jr.'s $172 million contract extension with the Denver Nuggets

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Here is the breakdown for Michael Porter Jr.'s $172 million extension:

Year	Age	Base Salary	Cap Hit	Dead Cap
2022-23	24	$29,750,000	$29,750,000	$29,750,000
2023-24	25	$32,130,000	$32,130,000	$32,130,000
2024-25	26	$34,510,000	$34,510,000	$34,510,000
2025-26	27	$36,890,000	$36,890,000	$36,890,000
2026-27	28	$39,270,000	$39,270,000	$39,270,000
2027	29	UFA

The extension can be worth up to $207 million if all the incentives kick in, effectively making it a supermax contract.

Michael Porter Jr. was selected 14th overall by the Nuggets in the 2018 NBA Draft, as the franchise chose to invest in him despite his poor injury record in college. Porter Jr. was expected to go first overall in 2018, but 13 teams chose to pass up on him due to health concerns.

The Denver Nuggets were extremely accommodating in Michael Porter Jr.'s first season, giving him the option to rest for a complete year to heal his back. Porter Jr. came back in the 2019-20 NBA season, in which he played 55 games, averaging 9 points and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes per game, most of which came off the bench.

Porter Jr. had his breakout year in the 2020-21 season, where got the starter job. He averaged 19 points and 7 rebounds per game, becoming a reliable rebounder for his team and assisting Nikola Jokic with the scoring burden, especially after Jamal Murray went down with an ACL problem.

The Denver Nuggets and head coach Michael Malone highly rate the youngster, and the max extension that Michael Porter Jr. signed is an example of that trust. The Denver Nuggets now have their four best players (Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., and Aaron Gordon) signed long-term contracts.

It is a clear indication of the fact that the franchise wants to win a championship in the coming seasons.

Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic will be eligible to become a free agent in 2023, but barring unforeseen circumstances, there is a good chance that the center will sign a supermax extension next year.