Michael Porter Jr. isn't one to shy away from lending a helping hand, especially when it comes to financial matters. The NBA superstar, who inked a staggering $200 million contract extension with the Denver Nuggets years prior to his trade to the Brooklyn Nets, recently opened up about an unusual post-breakup arrangement: splitting rent with his ex-girlfriend.
On the September 23rd episode of Justin Laboy’s "#Respectfully" podcast, Michael recounted the origins of this unique setup. "I got into a relationship with a girl from a city I’m not originally from, and there’s a certain expectation that comes with that," he shared candidly. "And honestly, if you truly love someone, it feels good to take care of them."
The Brooklyn Nets forward, who is set to earn $38.3 million in the upcoming season, admitted that he struck a deal with the unnamed woman when their relationship became serious. Initially, his financial contribution was "nothing too extravagant," he explained. "But eventually, I told her I’d split her rent with her."
While he didn’t anticipate living with her full-time, Michael envisioned spending a significant amount of time in her city. "She was apartment hunting and found this amazing place, but it was double what she could afford on her own," he recounted. "So, I said, ‘This place is really nice. I want you to be able to stay here. I want to be able to visit and stay here too. What can you realistically afford? I’ll cover the rest.’"
The 27-year-old athlete added, "I basically committed to paying that rent for the next year, no matter what happened in our relationship."
Despite dating for over a year and a half, Michael and his ex parted ways two months ago—a decision he attributes to himself. Now, he faces a dilemma: "We broke up about five or six months into the rent agreement," he revealed. "And here I am, wondering, ‘Do I keep helping her out, or is it time to call it quits?’ Because she’s not my girlfriend anymore."
These days, Michael is more cautious about spending money on women, wanting to ensure their intentions are genuine. "It’s tough when you have money to discern a woman’s true motives," he confessed to Justin. "Before this last relationship, I never bought girls expensive gifts. It was cool to do, and I enjoyed making sure she looked good and had nice things. But deep down, I still wanted to know she was with me for the right reasons. Because every guy in her path had money. I never wanted to feel like a girl was with me just because of what I have and what I can provide."
