One play from the NBA Finals showed what’s possible if Michael Porter Jr.’s offseason work pays off.

With the Nuggets up two points late in the third quarter of Game 5, Porter snatched a loose ball and started dribbling up the court into a one-on-two situation. As Heat guard Duncan Robinson lunged at the ball in Porter’s left hand, the Nuggets forward reacted on the fly. A back-to-front, between-the legs dribble got rid of Robinson and set up Porter for a layup over Caleb Martin that put the Nuggets up 4.

Known as an elite shooter and high-level rebounder, the transition move appeared to be the start of a new chapter. A healthy offseason allowed Porter to put in more work on that skill, which appeared to be second on his list of offseason priorities.

“It’s for sure taking care of my body, making sure I’m feeling good first and foremost,” Porter said at Monday’s media day. “Then, offensively, I would just say one of my focuses was just ball control, doing a lot of ball handling, not just going to the gym and working on my shot. I don’t think that’s going to go anywhere. I’ve been trying to pay more attention to just ball handling really and ball control.”

That’s not to say he’s going overboard. He’s not going to be a pick-and-roll creator anytime soon, but an improved handle could help him attack closeouts and be more productive in transition.

“It’s not like we’re going to be switching up roles or things like that too much, but there’s opportunities in the game for me to have the ball in my hands whether that’s transition, whether that’s just different times. I don’t anticipate my role changing significantly. That’s what makes us the team we are, but with that being said, some guys get stuck in a role, and they just conform to their role for the rest of their career. I’m trying to get better,” Porter said.

“That’s an area that I feel like I can get better.”

Development has taken a backseat to maintenance for much of Porter’s NBA career. He had his second back surgery soon after being drafted. He underwent his third operation nine games into the 2021-22 season. His flexibility and athleticism increased throughout last season, as evidenced by a big play in the Nuggets’ closeout win in the NBA Finals.

“Since my last surgery, I would say I’m much more in a better place now as far as athleticism and things like that go. It’s crazy we won it last year, and me and Jamal we kind of rehabbing during the season,” Porter said.

“To have this summer to make some steps has been amazing.”