Neither the Golden State Warriors nor the Brooklyn Nets are participating in this year’s NBA playoffs, yet a valuable lesson is emerging for the Warriors regarding Michael Porter Jr. The star forward found himself at the center of numerous trade rumors leading up to the mid-season deadline, with Golden State heavily linked to a potential deal. However, the current form and limited impact of former Nets players in the postseason serve as a stark warning: the Warriors should think twice before buying high on the 27-year-old if similar opportunities arise again this summer.
Porter is the latest in a line of Brooklyn forwards who have posted career-best numbers during their time with the Nets. This season, he averaged 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.3% from three-point range. On paper, these stats represent a significant offensive upgrade for any contending team. Yet recent history strongly suggests the Nets should have looked to sell high on Porter’s elevated value while they still could.
Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson provide the clearest cautionary tale. Both enjoyed expanded roles and inflated production in Brooklyn before moving to more competitive situations. Their numbers were always expected to dip with reduced minutes and tougher defensive attention on better teams. What has been startling, however, is just how little impact they have made early in these playoffs—further validating Brooklyn’s decision to move on at peak value.
In the New York Knicks’ Game 3 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday, Bridges played under 21 minutes and went scoreless. That followed a quiet start to the series in which he scored just 21 combined points across the first two games. The 29-year-old has drawn significant criticism for his underwhelming postseason showing so far, a narrative made harsher by the steep cost the Knicks paid: five first-round picks and a first-round pick swap after Bridges’ impressive 12-plus months in Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, Cam Johnson contributed just six points on 2-of-6 shooting in the Denver Nuggets’ Game 3 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In his first season with Denver, the 30-year-old has averaged only 12.2 points per game—well below the career-high 18.8 points he posted with the Nets last season.
The Warriors had previously shown interest in Johnson as a potential target before ultimately acquiring Jimmy Butler at the 2025 mid-season deadline. Time is increasingly vindicating that choice. Johnson has demonstrated he is not ideally suited to serve as a primary or even high-usage option on a legitimate contender, where spacing, efficiency, and defensive versatility become far more demanding.
It may seem unfair to lump Porter directly into the same category as Bridges and Johnson. After all, Porter has proven championship pedigree from his time with the Nuggets and possesses a unique skill set as a tall, fluid wing shooter who can create his own shot at times. Still, the pattern with Brooklyn-exported forwards is hard to ignore. When given featured roles on a rebuilding or lower-tier team, their scoring averages and usage rates balloon. Once transplanted to winning environments with stricter roles, defensive schemes, and higher collective talent, that production often fails to translate at the same level.
For the Warriors—who still possess valuable future draft assets and are navigating the later stages of their championship window around Stephen Curry—this is a bombshell realization they cannot afford to dismiss. Trading significant capital, particularly first-round picks, for a player whose best statistical output may have come in a vacuum would represent falling into the classic “Nets trade trap.” The franchise has already demonstrated discipline by passing on Johnson earlier and prioritizing Butler. That same measured approach should apply if Porter becomes available once more in the offseason.
The broader lesson for Golden State is clear: production in Brooklyn does not always equate to winning impact elsewhere. As the NBA offseason approaches and trade rumors inevitably swirl again, the Warriors must weigh Porter’s enticing regular-season numbers against the sobering playoff realities now playing out with Bridges and Johnson. Ignoring that evidence could prove costly. Recognizing it, however, might just save them from a regrettable misstep in their pursuit of one more deep playoff run.