It’s been a busy offseason for the Denver Nuggets so far. After promoting David Adelman to become the new full-time head coach, the front office did not waste a lot of time surrounding him with the perfect pieces to start competing for a championship again.
The first, and arguably biggest move so far, was the trade that sent Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for sharpshooter Cam Johnson. Now we have our first reaction from the newest member of the Nuggets roster.
Cam Johnson Has High Hopes With the Denver Nuggets
In the early hours of free agency, senior ESPN insider Shams Charania broke the news of the Nuggets trading for Johnson in exchange for their former lottery pick turned max player, Michael Porter Jr.
A money-saving move more than anything, it allowed the Mile High City to move on from the five-year, $180 million extension given to Porter. Instead, they replace him with a player who offers similar production on a much cheaper deal at four years and $108 million.
Coming back to championship relevancy, Johnson spoke to Michael Scotto of USA Today, and his reaction to the trade was as direct and as goal-focused as it gets. “I’m excited to compete for a championship. It’s a new beginning.”
I spoke with Cam Johnson shortly ago about his reaction to being traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Denver Nuggets for Michael Porter Jr and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick.
Johnson told me, “I’m excited to compete for a championship. It’s a new beginning.” pic.twitter.com/I5LIok12hh
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 1, 2025
Since coming into the league as a first-round pick in 2019, Johnson has seen every facet of life as an NBA player. Starting on a despondent Phoenix Suns team, he was part of the charge that turned the franchise around and led them to a Finals appearance in 2021.
But with Kevin Durant joining the squad, Johnson was shipped to the Brooklyn Nets, where he has been competing on a rebuilding team since. Joining Denver, the former lottery selection, has a chance to go back to competing again.
Last season for a middling Brooklyn Nets team, he restated his claim as one of the best shooters in the league, averaging a career-high 18.8 points on 39% from distance, while attempting another career-high of 7.2 3-pointers a game.
For a Denver team that ranked last in 3-point attempts in 2024-25, that kind of a bump is going to be vital towards their chances of competing in a league that continues to shift towards long-distance shooting.
Additionally, his efficiency should add to a unit that was already excellent as the fifth-best shooting team in the league at 37.6%, while the presence of three-time MVP Nikola Jokić should ensure that he gets some of the best looks of his career.
While he has made the mission statement clear, and the Nuggets appear poised to build the ideal roster around their superstar, the result will ultimately determine the success of this trade.
