The NBA trade deadline is rapidly approaching, now just over a week away, and we’ve already seen one big star move in Trae Young. There are lots of big-name players who are clearly varying degrees of available from Ja Morant to Anthony Davis to Zion Williamson to maybe even Giannis Antetokounmpo.
But as much smoke as there is around those players, it doesn’t feel like there’s much fire. When it’s all said and done, on February 5th at 1 PM MT, the most impactful player to change hands before the deadline may very well be former Nugget, Michael Porter Jr.
The Nuggets were thrilled to move MPJ’s contract in the offseason, swapping him to the Nets along with a future first-round pick for Cam Johnson. But Mike has thrived in Brooklyn, playing his way into All-Star consideration, and may be on the move again.
The Nets are nowhere near ready to compete for anything, but Porter Jr. is impacting winning right now. His size and shooting, plus the scoring ability he has shown this season, could be very appealing to contenders around the league. If Brooklyn can turn around and add yet another first for Mike, they may have to strike while the iron’s hot.
Game Theory pod picks MPJ as most important trade deadline player
On the most recent episode of the Game Theory podcast, Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon were asking the very question of who will be the most important player moved ahead of the trade deadline, assuming Giannis stays put. Simon’s answer was MPJ.
And it makes sense. All of the players who are rumored to be on the market come with major red flags, and in some cases, health concerns and/or prohibitive contracts. If those players move, it’s going to be to a desperate team that’s willing to take a big risk. There’s no certainty that it’ll work out, and it seems extremely unlikely that it will actually impact the postseason.
But Porter Jr., on the other hand, could do just that. He’s a proven playoff performer in Denver and has been available and playing elite hoops this season. He has already shown that he can fit into a winning team with the Nuggets, and there are several contenders out there who would likely love to add him to their rotation as a secondary scorer and a knockdown shooter.
His size and rebounding ability only sweeten the pot, and his contract doesn’t look nearly as bad as it did a few months ago. Could MPJ swing the title race? Crazier things have happened. Teams like the Thunder, Pistons, 76ers, Spurs, and others could certainly use a 6’10” marksman, just to name a few.
So, nobody is suggesting that Porter Jr. is the best player on the market, but in terms of players who could be dealt and have the biggest impact this season, look no further.