Michael Porter Jr.'s Team Contract Option Reportedly Picked Up by Nuggets

Michael Porter Jr. has yet to appear in a regular-season game for the Denver Nuggets, but that didn't stop them from reportedly picking up a club option on his contract for the 2020-21 season.

Sam Amick of The Athletic reported the Nuggets picked up the option worth $3.5 million.

Denver selected Porter with the No. 14 overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Missouri, but he has been sidelined with injuries.

Injuries have been a reality for Porter even before he became an NBA player. He arrived at Missouri as a 5-star recruit and the No. 2 overall player in the class of 2017, per 247Sports' composite rankings, but he managed to play just three college games because of back injuries.

Mike Singer of the Denver Post reported in May that Porter's recovery from two back surgeries in eight months was slowed by drop foot, which is a symptom of such surgeries that makes it difficult to lift the front part of the foot.

At this point, Porter is all about potential instead of results.

He is just 21 years old and looked the part of an explosive wing scorer who can hit from the outside and attack the basket off the bounce before the back injuries. There was top-five-pick hype before the 6'10", 210-pound forward even arrived at Missouri, and the Nuggets took a chance on him in the middle of the first round.

It makes sense they would want to pick up the club option, especially since he could provide a secondary scoring option for a team that was the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference without him last season.

Now Porter will look to stay healthy and deliver on expectations.