The Denver Nuggets hope to return from a cross-country road trip with a better sense of identity and direction.

The trip starts Friday with two games against Phoenix in as many days. Sunday is an off day before Monday’s game at Dallas. The trip closes at Miami on Wednesday and at San Antonio before the Nuggets return home on Jan. 31.

“I think this is going to be a really important road trip. We’re going to have five games in eight days,” Nuggets coach Michael Malone said Thursday. “We’re going to change a lot of different time zones, so hopefully we can get Michael Porter back at some point on this trip.”

Porter hasn’t played since Dec. 29 due to the league’s COVID-19 protocols, but his return could come soon. Malone said Porter would need to pass a cardio exam after a series of negative test results to change his “questionable” status heading into Friday’s game.

“I don’t understand all the details, because there have been so many protocols thrown at us almost on a daily basis,” Malone said. “Hopefully he’ll be able to play at some point on this trip. If it is tomorrow, great. If not, hopefully, it’s some time soon thereafter.”

Through four games, Porter is second on the team averaging 19.5 points and tied with JaMychal Green with 6.8 rebounds per game, second on the Nuggets only to Nikola Jokic. At 56.6% from the field, 42.3% from 3 and 87.5% from the line, Porter is also one of the team’s most efficient scorers.

“I think once he gets to gel with us and, you know, we get that chemistry with him, I think we’ll be unstoppable,” Green said.

“It’s important. Some of the games we’ve lost, if he was here, we probably would have won. It’s just good to be back to a full, healthy team.”

Porter’s eventual return, while certainly boosting the offense, will leave Malone with a tough decision. Porter started all four games he was available to play, while Will Barton, fourth on the team in points and second in steals, has started the last 10.

“I think we have more than five guys that are starters in the NBA, but the rules haven’t changed yet, so I can only put five out there to start the game. At the beginning of the year, that was Michael Porter, and obviously, Michael went down with COVID protocols and Will has come back in,” Malone said before complimenting Barton’s scoring and playmaking in a 13-point, six-assist effort in Tuesday’s win against Oklahoma City.

“Every game, every practice that Will gets under his belt, I’m starting to really kind of see the return of that explosion, that pop that was kind of missing earlier in the season. Not surprisingly because he missed so much time, but one of the things we constantly talk about as an organization, as a team is being selfless and checking your own personal ego at the door for the betterment of the team. I think Will, on countless examples, as well as many other players on our roster, has shown that they’ve truly bought into that aspect of our culture, and that’s refreshing to see.”

There was another example of the veteran wing’s willingness to share the spotlight Thursday when asked about his role.

“At the end of the day, you control what you can control, and after that, once a decision has been made, you just go out there and be the best person you can be and be the best teammate you can be,” Barton said.

“As long as you keep that main goal in your mind, which is to win, then it will work out.”

With Green missing the four games Porter played in due to injury, the Nuggets figure to be as healthy as they’ve been all season should Porter return at some point of the road trip.

“Once we’re finally whole, now we’ll start to get a chance to really evaluate who we are and where we’re going,” Malone said.