The Denver Nuggets made a big swing last summer by trading longtime forward Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick for Cameron Johnson and some financial savings. As the playoffs approach, the Nuggets are finally winning the controversial trade.
Denver has a track record of cheaping out as a team. They have made decisions in the recent past more concerned with saving ownership money than ensuring the best possible team was built up around Nikola Jokic. When they attached a first-round pick to Michael Porter Jr. in a like-for-like trade for Cam Johnson last summer, it seemed like more of the same.
It looked even worse as the season began and Johnson provided little else to the Nuggets other than merely spot-up shooting. His defense was spotty, his playmaking was nonexistent, and the Nuggets were better when he was on the bench than when he was in the game. Add in multiple injury absences, and you've got a player who was not helping the Nuggets win in any meaningful way.
Michael Porter Jr. was balling
Across the country, Porter Jr. was doing his best to make the Nuggets regret breaking up with him. He poured in the points as the No. 1 option for the otherwise moribund Brooklyn Nets, attacked the glass with impunity, appeared to hustle defensively.
Porter was nearly named an All-Star, averaging 24.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and three assists per game. If he were putting up those numbers on a relevant team, he would have been. Denver giving up a first and getting back a worse player? It stung.
Cam Johnson has shown up
Yet the story was never going to be written on the deal in a few months. Over the course of the season, one of the downsides to keeping Porter Jr. reared its head: he got injured. It's hard to know the exact severity of his injuries given that the tanking Nets were motivated not to play him, but he appeared in just 52 games this season.
Johnson has not been an iron man for Denver, appearing in just 53 games and counting this season, but he is healthy at the right time. He also hasn't been able to miss from deep, nailing 42.9 percent of his 3-pointers. He has been a perfectly fine catch-and-shoot forward playing off of Jokic.
What has to be highlighted is what else the Nuggets were able to do with their financial flexibility. Yes, moving off of Porter Jr. saved ownership tax money. It also opened up room under the tax aprons to add other role players.
Jonas Valanciunas is a more capable backup center than the Nuggets have had in recent years. Tim Hardaway Jr. is shooting 40.9 percent from deep on high volume and has appeared in nearly every game this season.
Could the Nuggets be better moving forward?
And moving forward, the Nuggets saving money this year could embolden them to spend to keep breakout forward Peyton Watson this summer, even if it means wading into the tax. Johnson will make $17 million less than Porter Jr. next season; perhaps that difference allows the Nuggets to be a better team overall moving forward.
If Johnson can be a meaningful playoff contributor and translate his late-season momentum into the postseason, this will be a win for the Nuggets. If he struggles, however, and if they cheap out again and let Watson walk in free agency, their decision-making will be cast into doubt once again.
For now, with Porter Jr. out for the season and Johnson contributing, they are winning the trade. For now.