Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr. to Play in 2019 Summer League in Return from Injury

Denver Nuggets rookie Michael Porter Jr. told Nick Kosmider of The Athletic that his back is pain-free and that he intends on playing in summer league this year.

Porter didn't play at all during the 2018-19 season after having two back surgeries in the past two years, as the Nuggets decided against rushing his rehabilitation to get him on the court this season.

Porter's injury history is well-known to basketball fans. He appeared in just three games for the Missouri Tigers, as herniated discs in his back required surgery in the middle of his freshman season.

If he had gone to the NBA straight after high school, the 2016-17 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year likely would've been a top-five pick in the draft. Instead, the questions about his long-term health led him to tumble to 14th overall.

Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal gave Denver an A-minus grade, arguing Porter's potential more than justified the pick.

For a Nuggets team that lost in heartbreaking fashion against the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday in Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, the chance to see Porter in action this summer is a bit of good news. Porter has the potential to be a star in the NBA and could be an important piece in 2019-20 next to Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray.