Michael Porter Jr. is getting a fresh start in Brooklyn, but his new jersey number carries some heavy baggage. The former Denver Nuggets star has revealed what jersey number he will wear for the Nets in 2025-26. With Porter Jr.’s injury history and the weight of expectations, can he turn this cursed number into something special?
What Jersey Number Will Michael Porter Jr. Wear with the Nets?
After trading Cam Johnson and a 2032 first-round pick to acquire Porter Jr., the former Nuggets star, the Nets recently announced what number Porter Jr. will wear going into the 2025-26 season. The number connects him to a former NBA icon who recently had a brief, unsuccessful stint with the team.
Michael Porter Jr. will wear No. 7 for the #Nets. Number last worn by Killian Hayes in 2025. #NBA pic.twitter.com/LWA7VuuFVu
— Etienne Catalan (@EtienneCatalan) July 8, 2025
Porter Jr. will wear No. 7 for the Nets, a number last worn by Killian Hayes in the 2024-25 NBA season. However, the NBA numerologist shared that Porter Jr. will also inherit the No. 7 jersey from Kevin Durant, who wore it during his time in Brooklyn.
The connection to Durant adds another layer to Porter Jr.’s arrival in Brooklyn. Durant’s tenure with the Nets was marked by championship aspirations that never materialized, despite forming what was supposed to be a Big 3 with Kyrie Irving and James Harden.
How Did Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Experience Shape the No. 7 Legacy?
Durant’s time with the Nets tells a story of unfulfilled potential and organizational chaos. The superstar trio of Durant, Irving, and Harden played just 16 games together, with Durant missing an entire season due to an Achilles injury before eventually being traded.
The frustration in Durant’s voice was clear when he reflected on his Brooklyn experience. “We’ve got GMs going to other teams,” Durant said about his time with the Nets.
“We’ve got coaches going to other teams. We’ve got players forcing trades. We’ve brought in Ben Simmons. He hurt his back. Like, it was just so much bulls*** around us.”
Despite the chaos surrounding the team, Durant maintained his love for the organization itself. “I love playing for Brooklyn, but so much stuff happened around the guys who were committed to the situation,” he said. “It felt like we were committed, but only everybody else wasn’t. It just was weird.”
Durant made these comments on his podcast with former NBA coach Steve Nash.
Kevin Durant on his time with Steve Nash during the Brooklyn Nets era:
“There was so much Bull*** going around us, we had GMs & coaches going to other teams… players forcing trades… we brought in Ben Simmons, his back hurt. It felt like we were committed but everyone else… pic.twitter.com/ucgmrgbB2Q
— NetsKingdom 👑🗽 (@NetsKingdomAJ) July 8, 2025
Can Porter Jr. Overcome His Injury History in Brooklyn?
As Porter Jr. takes on the legacy of the No. 7 jersey, he faces his own set of challenges. The forward has been battling injuries since being drafted in 2017, and some analysts question whether Brooklyn made the right move.
NBA analyst Bill Simmons didn’t hold back in his assessment of the trade. “He has a bad back,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons Podcast” with co-host Ryen Russillo. “He has a f–ked up shoulder… For [the Nuggets], he was a complete impediment to making their roster better… here comes Brooklyn, and they’re like, ‘We just need one pick.’ It’s f–king crazy.”
However, Porter Jr. isn’t without his accomplishments. Despite the injury concerns and analyst criticism that he was a complete “impediment to making their roster better,” the Nets are banking on his ability to replicate the success he found in Denver, where he helped the Nuggets win an NBA title in 2023.
The question now becomes whether Porter Jr. can stay healthy long enough to make the No. 7 jersey synonymous with success rather than disappointment. Brooklyn is hoping that a change of scenery will provide the fresh start he needs to overcome the injuries that have plagued his career and prove that this trade was more than just Denver getting rid of a problem.
