Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the first casualty of the Denver Nuggets‘ goal of avoiding the punitive second apron while trying to contend for a second NBA championship.
Michael Porter Jr. could be the next domino to fall with Jamal Murray‘s extension looming which could be for four years and $208.5 million, according to ESPN’s NBA front office insider Bobby Marks.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz proposed a three-team trade that would help the Nuggets save more money while replacing him with two former lottery picks.
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)
Cam Johnson is a Cheaper and Better Defender
In Johnson, the Nuggets can have a cheaper wing but a better defender than Porter especially if he resembles the player he was in Phoenix. Playing for a contender could reinvigorate Johnson after a down year in Brooklyn last season.
Johnson’s 39.2% accuracy from the 3-point range is close to Porter’s 41%.
“Swapping Porter for Johnson saves the Nuggets a lot of future money, though, as the latter will make $68.8 million over the next three years while the former stands to earn $115 million,” Swartz wrote.
Williams is a throw-in but they can also take a flier on the former 10th overall pick on a contract year as a depth piece or move him at the trade deadline.
“This kind of savings will help the Nuggets keep their core of Nikola Jokić, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon together while not sacrificing Porter’s skill set. Denver saves $6.1 million this season and another $6.1 million next summer when Williams’ contract expires in addition to the salary drop from Porter to Johnson,” Swartz continued.
Porter could provide the spacing the Pistons crave for their young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey and Jalen Duren while the Nets continue to accumulate draft capital for their rebuild and an expiring contract which they can flip at the trade deadline, Swartz added.
Offcourt Distractions Take Toll on Michael Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. was hard on himself, taking the brunt of the blame for the Nuggets’ failure to defend their NBA title.
“There are a lot of things we could’ve done differently as a team,” Porter told reporters after their Game 7 loss to the Timberwolves. “But I know if I would’ve played my part, we would’ve won this series. And I’ve got to live with that.”
His performance in their second-round loss and their first-round win over the Los Angeles Lakers was night and day.
After punishing the Lakers with 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in the first round, Porter Jr. could not replicate it against the suffocating Timberwolves defense which held him to just 11.3 points and 5.4 boards.
While he did not want his personal problems to be an excuse for his poor performance, he admitted it was at the back of his mind.
“I’m not going to sit here and act like it wasn’t a burden and I wasn’t thinking about it all day every day,” Porter said. “But that’s still no excuse. I’m a better player than I played in this series. I’m a better shooter than I shot in this series. In the NBA, you have to be able to separate your off-the-court matters with your on-the-court-play.”
Two of the Nuggets star’s brothers were involved in scandals.
Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA for gambling violations and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and Coban Porter was sentenced to six years in prison for the death of a 42-year-old woman in a driving under the influence of alcohol crash last year.
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