Ever since getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets in July this NBA offseason, former Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has been uncharacteristically liberal in granting interviews, particularly in podcasts. And recently, he shared a gem of a tidbit about Nikola Jokic giving him an NSFW good-bye message on the Nuggets group chat.
“It was tough saying goodbye to my teammates, especially Aaron (Gordon) and Jamal (Murray), the guys that have been there for a long time,” Porter Jr. said on Glory Daze, the podcast of former NFL pro Johnny Manziel. “They just all kind of texted in the group chat and the only thing Nikola said is, ‘Wrap it up out there in New York City.’ He said, ‘Make sure you wear a condom out there.’ That’s all he said. That was his goodbye to me.”
Jokic’s parting message to his former teammate wasn’t just classic Joker in that it showed the big man’s quick wit and sometimes quirky, dry sense of humor; it might have also revealed something important about him as a teammate: He knows everyone around him well enough to crack a joke that actually hits close to him.
Porter Made a Wild But Sad Admission
Given Porter’s recent admission on women, Jokic’s farewell message to the 27-year-old former Nugget actually makes perfect sense.
In early August, Porter made a startling revelation on his own podcast, Curious Mike, about his worldly weakness: women.
“Everybody has different vices. Everybody has different things that they struggle with. That can go with people who struggle with alcohol, people that struggle with drugs. You know, for example, my brother struggled with gambling. My vice has always come in the form of women. And when I’m far from God, and I’m not in my word, I’m not praying, I’m not prioritizing Him, like that seems to be the place that the devil gets me, is in the space of women,” Porter admitted.
Needless to say, Jokic probably was on to something when he gave that message to Porter—and while probably made in jest, it might’ve also shown that the Joker is still looking out after his longtime teammate.
Porter played six seasons with the Nuggets and put up career averages of 16.2 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists and was a key piece in Denver and Jokic winning the 2023 NBA title. He and a 2032 first-round pick were traded to Brooklyn in early July for Cameron Johnson.
