MichaelPorter Jr.

Preseason question: Porter quickly proved the Nuggets wrong, putting up All-Star-caliber numbers for a moribund Nets team after being salary-dumped last offseason. But he took the teeth out of his own comeuppance when he, by his own admission, stopped trying once he missed out on an All-Star nod. So he begins his second season in Brooklyn back at the start, only with a new contract riding on how he approaches things from here. The Nets owe a swap of their first-round pick in 2027, so there’s nothing stopping anyone from playing to win. They probably won’t win much anyway, but Porter’s size and shooting would make him an easy fit for most competitive teams if he puts his budding podcast-hosting career on hold and dials it in on the court on a more consistent basis.