There should be no reason for the Denver Nuggets to have the itch to make a major trade this summer. They’re coming off of a dominant run to the franchise’s first-ever NBA title and were able to keep the majority of their championship core together.
Hopefully, the lack of need for a change continues throughout the season and things go according to plan. However, if the Nuggets aren’t looking so hot after a few months, then there could be grounds to make a trade.
If that’s the case, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley has them covered. He mocked up trades for each NBA team, and Denver’s looks like this:
Should the Denver Nuggets trade Michael Porter Jr. to the Detroit Pistons?
Probably not, not unless there’s a massive unexpected slide in his production, as well as the team’s.
The 25-year-old wing started in 62 regular-season games for Denver, playing about 29 minutes in each appearance. In those starts, Porter Jr. was able to tally 17.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest while shooting 48.7% from the field and 41.4% from deep.
Sure, his numbers took a slight dip in the postseason, but he was still serviceable on both ends of the floor.
Denver has him locked up for the foreseeable future, as he inked a five-year, $179.3 million contract extension, prior to last season.
If all goes to plan, Porter Jr. should serve as a pillar for sustained success in the Mile-High City. His young age and diverse skillset make him a quality asset for the Nuggets. Trading him for a pair of shooters in Bogdonovic and Burks doesn’t make a ton of sense.
Final grade for Denver Nuggets-Detroit Pistons trade:
C
Again, this isn’t something that the Nuggets should consider unless they see something in Porter Jr. that makes them question paying him all of that money.
If for some reason his production falls off of a cliff, then sure, bring in the wing duo from Detroit and strengthen the depth.
There is some truth to Denver’s new need for depth. Both Bruce Brown and Jeff Green found new homes in free agency this summer — each of which played a key role in the run to the title last year.
Burks may be able to be a fine piece for the Nuggets’ bench, while Bogdanovic could step into the starting lineup.
Burks appeared in 51 games for the Pistons last season. The veteran averaged 12.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game while shooting 43.6% from the field and an efficient 41.4% from long range.
As for Bogdanovic, he served as the main source of offense for that struggling Detroit team. He averaged 21.6 points per game and was efficient in his scoring. The Croatian wing knocked down 48.8% overall and 41.1% from beyond the arc.
Despite the upside to bringing in the sharpshooting duo, it just doesn’t make sense at this time to give up Porter Jr.