Michael Porter Jr. sits for personal reasons — but he should be back soon

The Brooklyn Nets lost 129-110 to Memphis on Saturday without leading scorer Michael Porter Jr., who was ruled out shortly before tip-off for personal reasons. The situation was believed to be resolved, with sources saying he was not expected to miss extended time, while coach Jordi Fernández declined to give a return date and said the team wanted to respect his privacy.

Porter is averaging 21.5 points per game, making his absence a significant loss for Brooklyn’s scoring. Day’Ron Sharpe recorded 16 points and 11 rebounds, while the Nets started five players each at least 6-foot-9, the first NBA team to do so since the Lakers in 1990. The team had also faced travel disruption after a nationwide four-hour flight grounding delayed its journey from New Orleans to Memphis.