Grading the trade proposal: Nuggets save money, replace Michael Porter Jr.

Most of the scuttlebutt from the NBA offseason is now behind us. The dust has settled from free agency and the transaction cycle, summer league has come and gone, and the Olympics have come to an end. If there is any such thing as an NBA dead season, we’re now in it.

All that’s left is the neverending trade cycle. There are certainly teams around the league taking stock of their rosters and cap situations and perhaps regretting some moves they did or didn’t make in free agency. Or maybe teams are just looking to upgrade or change course. 

There’s never a bad time for teams to tinker these days, but if a team wants to make a change, the sooner the better. That way, new players will still get a full training camp and preseason to acclimate and gel with a new team.

The Nuggets are a team that didn’t exactly have the best offseason; they could - and should - be looking at all options to improve the team and improve their future outlook around their generational talent, Nikola Jokic.

Mock trade lands Cam Johnson in Denver, MPJ in Detroit

Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report has an idea and he proposed a three-team deal that could help the Nuggets for this season and beyond. In his recent article titled, 3-Team NBA Trade Ideas: Deals for Kyle Kuzma, Andrew Wiggins, Jerami Grant, More, Swartz offered the following trade idea:

Denver Nuggets Receive: F Cam Johnson, F Ziaire Williams

Detroit Pistons Receive: F Michael Porter Jr.

Brooklyn Nets Receive: F/C Isaiah Stewart, SG Tim Hardaway Jr., 2025 second-round pick (via Toronto Raptors, 2027 second-round pick (via Detroit Pistons)

There’s a lot going on here but from the Nuggets' perspective, it makes a fair amount of sense. Johnson is a similar player to MPJ, a big wing who can knock down threes. Johnson is also a rock-solid defensive player and most importantly, he’s signed for the next three seasons for just $65.5 million.

This trade would be a boon for the Nuggets' future but may not interest Pistons and Nets

That’s considerable savings for the Nuggets as Porter Jr. is scheduled to make $115 million over the same time span. Johnson is two years older than MPJ, slightly smaller, and a much lesser rebounder. But otherwise, he checks about every box and could easily be a better fit in Denver.

This deal would open up a lot of options for the Nuggets in terms of roster building. The cap savings would allow them to be more aggressive in pursuing trades and future free agents and would make it easier to re-sign Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon to extensions.

The biggest issue with the deal would likely come from the other parties. I’m not sure that the rebuilding Pistons would want to take on Porter Jr. and his massive salary at this point in their build - but then again, they are the Pistons. The Nets also may balk as they would like to get back at least a first-round pick in exchange for Johnson.

Grade for the Nuggets: B+

Grade for the Nets: C-

Grade for the Pistons: C