Infomastaro

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By Justin Grasso

Contributing Sports Writer

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The Brooklyn Nets are paying a visit to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday night. Shortly before the Nets and the Pistons tipped off, Brooklyn ruled out its star forward, Michael Porter Jr.

Considering Porter isn’t known to be dealing with an injury, the initial status hit raised eyebrows. The trade deadline is just days away, and Porter was ruled out due to personal reasons. Many fans questioned the sudden change in status, but a Nets insider offered clarity on the situation shortly before the game tipped off.

“Just to head this off, it does NOT signify that he’s being traded,” the New York Post’s Brian Lewis reported. “MPJ is out for personal reasons. He had a death in the family, which he posted about.”

The Nets are currently in the midst of a road trip, which started in Los Angeles on January 25. Since then, they’ve faced the Phoenix Suns, Denver Nuggets, and the Utah Jazz. Porter was on the court for the January 29 return to Denver. He checked in for 37 minutes, putting up 38 points and 10 rebounds in the 107-103 loss.

Porter’s first absence in nearly a month occurred in Utah on January 30. That’s when he was first ruled out due to personal reasons.

It’s unclear when Porter will return to the court. Following Sunday’s outing against the Pistons, the Nets will return to Brooklyn for a Tuesday night matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. That will be their final game before the trade deadline kicks in. On the night of the deadline, the Nets will pay a visit to the Orlando Magic.

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Porter has been one of the most prominent names within the trade market. Seeing as though the Nets are one of the Eastern Conference’s rebuilding teams, Porter’s stellar year has contenders calling. From Sunday until the deadline, every move for Brooklyn will be under a microscope.

In 38 games this year, Porter has been averaging 33 minutes of action. He’s shooting 48 percent from the field, and knocking down 39 percent of his threes, taking 9.6 attempts per game.

Porter is posting averages of 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. While he didn’t make the All-Star game as a reserve in 2026, many believe he should be considered a snub, seeing how well he’s played through his first season with the Nets.

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