Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr. Nearing Return to On-Court Contact amid Back Injury Rehab

MIchael Porter Jr. is one step closer to returning to Denver Nuggets this season.

His agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Sunday that Porter is expected to be cleared for on-court contact in the next week and is aiming for a return to game action in March.

The 23-year-old appeared in just nine games for the Nuggets this season, averaging 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game, before opting to have lumbar spine surgery that has kept him out of action since early November.

That has left the Nuggets without two of their three best players, as Jamal Murray has yet to play this season as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last season. It is unclear if Murray will play again this season, though Woj reported "there is still hope" that the star point guard can return to the court before the playoffs.

The Nuggets have more than tread water without the two players, however, because of the MVP-esque season of Nikola Jokic (25.8 PPG, 13.7 RPG, 8.0 APG) and a solid supporting cast led by Aaron Gordon, Will Barton, Monte Morris and Jeff Green.

The Nuggets are currently 35-25, sixth in the Western Conference and just outside of the NBA play-in spots.

Porter had a breakout year in the 2020-21 season, averaging 19.0 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 54.2 percent from the field, 44.5 percent from three and 79.1 percent from the charity stripe.

He seemed primed for an excellent 2021-22 campaign and signed a five-year, $172.5 million contract extension in the offseason, only for the back injuries that have hampered him throughout his young career to derail his year.

But getting both him and Murray back would make the Nuggets a major threat in the West, as the entirety of the conference chases the Phoenix Suns (49-12) in the standings.