Grade the trade pitch: Blockbuster 3-way deal reunites Jokic with fellow countryman

What can Bogdan Bogdanovic bring to the table?

Bogdanovic would be another interesting move, especially for his offense. Bogey is a true gamer who has a history of hitting big shots. He doesn’t need much space to get his shot off and he can score and make plays off the dribble with the best of them. He’s 31 years old and not a great athlete or a defensive ace, but he can add an element to this offense with or without the ball and hasn’t shown signs of decline.

Making Bogey even more appealing is his obvious connection to Nikola Jokic, his fellow Serbian. The two have a relationship and have played together on the Serbian National Team for years. It certainly couldn’t hurt to add a friend and someone with existing chemistry to Jokic, the best player alive. If it helps to keep him happy in Denver, even better. His contract is also attractive as he just finished the first season of a four-year, $68 million declining deal.

Would this trade make sense for the Nuggets?

Trading MPJ and breaking up the 2023 championship starting lineup would be a tough pill to swallow for Nuggets fans. But the reality of the situation is that Porter Jr. is overpaid and his contract is part of the reason that the Nuggets are facing an uphill battle in roster building with the new CBA in place. 

This deal would diversify MPJ’s salary slot into two rock-solid players who each have smaller, more tradable deals themselves. Bogey should largely be able to replace the shooting and offense of Porter Jr. while Isaac would be a massive defensive upgrade and one who could possibly fill the void at backup center as well. This deal certainly comes along with risk (Bogey is older and smaller, and Isaac is a massive injury liability) but the upside is clearly evident and could prove to be extremely fruitful.