Report: Michael Porter Jr. to be cleared for on-court contact, possible return could come in March

According to Adrian Wojanrowski of ESPN, Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. will be cleared for contact within the week and is as eyeing a return to play sometime in March.

Porter underwent his third back surgery in the last five years just three months ago to help fix a lumbar spine issue. According to Woj, Porter plans to return to the lineup “sometime” in March, but that as soon as he’s cleared for contact within the next week “it’ll juts be the matter of a final ramp up” until his return to the floor.

Before injuring his back, Porter appeared in just nine games for the Nuggets this season averaging 9.9 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. Porter signed a 5-year, $172.2 million contract this offseason, so seeing him go down that early in the season was tough to see and put a lot more pressure on Nikola Jokic, who has answered the bell all season long.

Just last year, Porter had a breakout season averaging 19 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. Porter also shot a career-high 44.5 percent from beyond the arc, but struggled for three in his nine games so far this year shooting just 20.8 percent from distance.

This is obviously great news for the Nuggets as Porter will provide a massive boost going into the postseason. Woj also reported that “there is hope” Jamal Murray will return to play from his ACL injury prior to the playoffs as well.

Only good news for the Nuggets thus far today, which will hopefully continue as Denver will look to pick up their sixth consecutive victory tonight in Portland on the second night of a back-to-back.