Nets’ Jordi Fernandez updates Michael Porter Jr. return timeline amid multi-game absence

The Brooklyn Nets have been without leading scorer Michael Porter Jr. for their last three games. Porter is working his way back from an ankle sprain that has prevented him from working out. Head coach Jordi Fernandez gave an update on the star forward’s return timeline on Monday.

“I’m not qualified to talk about grades, but I can share with you that he did form shooting [before] the last game that we played, and today is going to be his first workout. So let’s see how he feels after it’s getting better, and then we’ll assess,” Fernandez said.

Jordi Fernandez on Michael Porter Jr.'s return timeline from his ankle sprain:

"He did form shooting [before] the last game that we played, and today is going to be his first workout. So let’s see how he feels after it’s getting better, and then we’ll assess.” pic.twitter.com/SBSOeWqefy

— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) March 16, 2026

Porter has been the focal point of Brooklyn’s offense this season, averaging a career-high 24.2 points on .463/.363/.859 shooting splits across 52 appearances. The Nets are 3-13 in games he has missed.

When will Michael Porter Jr. return to Nets’ lineup?

The Nets are unlikely to be in any rush to bring Porter back amid a heated draft lottery race. They’ve lost their last four games while implementing drastic rotation changes following back-to-back wins over the Detroit Pistons and Memphis Grizzlies.

Brooklyn shut down Egor Demin and Day’Ron Sharpe due to injuries during the last week. The Nets have also benched their starters down the stretch of several tight losses, giving extended minutes to two-way players Tyson Etienne, E.J. Liddell, Chaney Johnson, and 10-day signee Malachi Smith.

“It goes back to seeing guys that haven’t had a chance to play those minutes, because I think it gives me a better sense of who they are as players and what I can I see as they develop,” Fernandez said of Brooklyn’s rotation changes. “Some of these guys who haven’t had a chance or many chances, it’s a good time for us being eliminated from the play-in or any chance of the playoffs. So it’s good to use this time efficiently to know exactly what we have going into the summer and having a good opinion. Especially guys like Malachi now. So it’s important to go through this process and do it the right way.”

The Nets’ losing streak has elevated them to third place in the draft lottery standings. They have one fewer win than the Sacramento Kings in fourth, one more than the Washington Wizards in second and two more than the Indiana Pacers in first.

When asked whether the Nets will hold Porter out longer than usual as they give other players looks, Fernandez said the 6-foot-10 forward will go through his normal injury progression.

“By the rules, he’ll rest [however long] he [needs to] rest,” Fernandez said. “Every time we ask Mike, Nic, Noah to play, they play hard. They play the right way. And if we have to give looks to these other guys because we want to see what’s going on, what we have and the plan that we want to put in the future. And this is going to be very important for us. It’s a part of what we’re trying to do here.’

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