The Nuggets have had their share of clutch losses and poor defense, but on the latest episode of "The Zach Lowe Show," Lowe and guest Mo Dakhil laid bare how Cam Johnson hasn't been helpful to Denver in either of those ways.
Johnson was acquired from the Nets in a trade that sent Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick in 2032 to Brooklyn. It was a necessary deal. Porter is making $17 million more than Johnson each of the next two years, and the Nuggets had no chance to get under the luxury tax threshold, a goal of the ownership group, if they kept Porter.
Cam Johnson's defense has been a liability
Lowe is not a fan of the trade for Denver. "We knew he was not going to be any kind of major defensive upgrade over Michael Porter Jr., " he said.
"His defense has been worse than it was in Phoenix and Brooklyn," Lowe continued, before citing injuries as one of the reasons he's been a little slower on D. Cam missed the Nuggets' last game against the Jazz because of his hurt ankle.
Lowe wasn't finished. "Teams are picking on him with their quick guards like they pick on
everyone except for Bruce Brown and Peyton Watson." Ouch.
Opponents have been attacking Johnson, and the slow rotation of the Nuggets' defense has led to open shots and back-door cut layups. Easy shots for professionals.
Johnson is shooting poorly, and teams aren't guarding him
Cam's had some open looks in the clutch, but he hasn't hit the shots. He's just 1-8 shooting in the final five minutes of tight games, and as Dakhil said, "Teams, basically, are just not guarding him."
Dakhil referenced a wide-open three-pointer that would have given the Nuggets the lead in the Oklahoma City game. The Nuggets went to overtime and eventually lost. Another clutch loss, and there have been many, in a game the Nuggets looked like the better team, too.
The Nuggets may not have enough time left for Cam to gel
Both Lowe and Dakhil brought up the Nuggets' injuries as a reason the team chemistry has been lacking. However, with only 20 games to go before the playoffs start, there may not be enough time to bring it all together.
"I feel like Cam is still trying to figure out where he fits within this offense," Dakhil said. And that could be the issue for a lot of the Nuggets.
For almost the entire season, the rotation has been a game of musical chairs, only the chair was filled with whoever was left on head coach David Adelman's bench.
And it won't get any easier for the Nuggets. They have the toughest remaining schedule in the league.