The Nuggets badly need to make a deal this offseason to cut money and add depth, with the most likely trade candidate on the roster being Michael Porter Jr. But while cutting costs is a priority, the top priority has to be contending for a title next year in Nikola Jokic’s age-30 season, squarely in the heart of his prime.
The problem is that those priorities may well be at odds, as it feels increasingly unlikely that the Nuggets will be able to move MPJ in a deal that actually makes the team better. Mike is still just 26, and his combination of size and shooting should be appealing to any team in the league.
MPJ has little to no trade value
Sadly, that’s about where the positives end when it comes to Porter Jr.’s trade value. He hasn’t taken the leaps that many had hoped and has failed to hit the star trajectory that seemed almost certain when he was a young prospect.
Instead, he has stagnated as a player, showing little ability to handle the ball or playmake, lacking a first step or a post game, and hasn’t improved much at all as a defender or passer in his career either.
Still, while it’s disappointing, most of it could be overlooked for a 6’10” elite movement shooter. What MPJ is good at, he’s very good at, and he has proven to be a solid role player who can make an impact at the highest level.
The problems lie in his contract and injury history. He’s due $38.3 million next season and $40.8 million two seasons from now, numbers that are crippling for a team to be paying a role player in this CBA while trying to contend for a title. It’s killing Denver, and any team around the league sees that and understands their lack of leverage.
Beyond that, he suffered a gruesome back injury in college that has altered his career, and he suffered from a bevy of injuries early in his NBA career, missing his entire rookie season and almost all of another. He has played 62, 81, and 77 games over the past three years, which is great, but how long can it last?
If Denver can’t get value for MPJ, they should keep him
These are all things that prospective trade partners will be wondering about and factoring into any decisions. It leaves the Nuggets in a tough spot as they are desperate to make a move, but must also improve.
There will certainly be some options, and if the new front office is smart, they will be able to maximize value, target the right pieces, and make a deal that helps the team in the present and the future. But it won’t be easy, and unless they can replace MPJ’s shooting while improving the depth, this may be a problem that can’t be solved, and we may see Porter Jr. back in Denver after all.