The Denver Nuggets understood the need for significant roster changes after their early postseason exit to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
Three-time MVP Nikola Jokić is 30 years old, making it evident that the Nuggets’ title window is now. Since winning the NBA Finals in 2023, the Nuggets haven’t shaken up their roster much, as Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. have remained Denver’s second and third options.
Given Murray’s ability to shine when the lights shine brightest, it’s easy to understand why Porter Jr. was the first core member of the Nuggets’ roster to go.
Nuggets Trade Michael Porter Jr. to the Nets
Porter Jr. has one of the league’s most unique play styles, and not necessarily in an appealing way. He is consistently trolled on social media for his lack of willingness to pass the ball and rack up assists, earning him nicknames like Michael ‘The Possession Ends Here’ Porter Jr.
Denver was one of the most convenient destinations for the 27-year-old, as Jokić is widely regarded as the best playmaking big man in NBA history. Still, the front office realized ridding their roster of the shoot-first forward could be the key to returning to the biggest stage.
ESPN’s Shams Charania broke the news that the Nuggets are dealing Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson.
BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/o6rdWhu3Rl
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
“BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, sources tell ESPN,” Charania posted to X account.
This is a massive step in the right direction for the Nuggets. Johnson has been among the most desirable trade targets over the past year because of his supposed ability to thrive off-ball. This style has yet to be proven because Johnson spent the entirety of his prime in Brooklyn.
He averaged 18.8 points and 4.3 rebounds on 47.5% shooting and 39% shooting from three-point range in the 2025 campaign. Like Porter Jr., he is not a gifted playmaker, but he can swing the ball when needed or contribute without the ball in his hands. On top of that, Johnson has two seasons remaining on his four-year, $94.5 million contract, which gives him time to adjust to playing alongside Jokić and company.
This deal is also a huge win for the Nets, as although Porter Jr. is on a rough contract and doesn’t fit their timeline, he doesn’t need to. Brooklyn is in no rush to compete, which negates the damage done by his lucrative deal. The real value for the Nets comes from the unprotected first-round pick, as it’s impossible to say what the Nuggets will look like in seven years. There’s a strong chance Jokic is no longer in Denver or the league.
Many times in the modern NBA, fans have no issues claiming one organization fleeced the other, but this Nuggets-Nets blockbuster falls in the rare win-win category.
