[Shams] Denver trades Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson

[Airmiess]

Cam is going to do all the things they needed Stiff Porter to do, consistently.

MPJ will now be forced to do more than just spot up or heave difficult shots. I still remember how he was compared to KD on draft night...wild.

[HMFFL]

If Johnson can play 70+ games, this is a lateral move for the starting lineup.

The key for Denver -- and Jokic has brought this up as a concern -- is getting deeper. This trade allows for that, starting with Bruce Brown. Now they have enough money to go after one or two key bench contributors. That matters.

I expect Cam to perform well in the playoffs. That's something MPJ struggled with. He was dead weight to Denver and deserves more criticism ever see the bubble fiasco.

[ChuckChilly]

It's a win win trade. MPJ on paper is the better player but he's unplayable down the stretch in playoff due to his defense. This trade free up MLE for the Nuggets which could help them to address the depth issue.

For the Nets an unprotected FRP in 32 is a very good gamble.

He was unplayable because of his lack of offense in the playoffs, not his defense. Kind of pointless to have a shooter on the floor that can't shoot when needed.

[God Squad]

I love this trade for the Nuggets. You're replacing MPJ production with a cheaper and, honestly, better player. At the same time, it allows flexibility to add more depth to the team. Nets get an unprotected pick with decent potential, but I wouldn't bank on Denver being lotto-bound by then.

One of the few win/win trades.

[Ssj16]

Denver did what they had to do. They needed to get out of that MPJ contract, and really the only way to do it was to use an unprotected 1st to get out of it.

But this is the issue with Denver. Cam is more consistent than MPJ, but you’re still dealing with someone that struggles yo stay healthy and does anything outside of shooting 3s. And now you’re down another asset, which they didn’t have much to begin with.

So that climb to getting back to having a legit title contending roster still just seems almost impossible. They have to really hope that there is a team that has a GM desperate enough to overpay to trade for Murray.

Because this trade doesn’t really get them all that much closer to being a contending team. It just got them out of that MPJ contract. Just 1 less asset to use to try and get a legit #2 option

I disagree about this not getting them close to contending. They took OKC to game 7 as a team that was broken down at the end.

If they get depth, Jokic can do the rest.

[Mamba Mentality]

Cam Thomas and MPJ on the same team. RIP ball movement.

Who cares ?

Must be really fun being a Nets fan.

[Alatan]

It's a win win trade. MPJ on paper is the better player but he's unplayable down the stretch in playoff due to his defense. This trade free up MLE for the Nuggets which could help them to address the depth issue.

For the Nets an unprotected FRP in 32 is a very good gamble.

He was unplayable because of his lack of offense in the playoffs, not his defense. Kind of pointless to have a shooter on the floor that can't shoot when needed.

He was unplayable because of both. Dude is a complete dud. Stiff traffic cone that cant create and is not reliable when open while also being a black hole. Horrible player.

Good riddance

[therealbig3]

Cam Thomas and MPJ on the same team. RIP ball movement.

Who cares ?

Must be really fun being a Nets fan.

lol it’s just understanding where the Nets are at right now. They’re not in position to put forth a good team right now and are focused on rebuilding. This trade has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with that unprotected 1st rounder in 2032. Jokic is still Jokic but anything can happen in 7 years.

[Mamba Mentality]

Who cares ?

Must be really fun being a Nets fan.

lol it’s just understanding where the Nets are at right now. They’re not in position to put forth a good team right now and are focused on rebuilding. This trade has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with that unprotected 1st rounder in 2032. Jokic is still Jokic but anything can happen in 7 years.

Fair enough. I can live with your explanation, the "who cares" was a little off-putting coming from a Nets fan, especially when considering the team has been mediocre for what seems like a majority of my lifetime.

[BigGargamel]

I like this deal for both teams.

People saying Porter sucks don't know what they're talking about. Not liking his contract is fair. Saying he disappeared in a couple of important playoff series is fair. But everyone forgets that he willingly took a back seat and lesser role for the good of the team. Jordi Fernandez was an assistant in Denver and knows all about Porter, and he had to have bought in on this idea. I bet this ends up opening up Porter's game a bit. But either way it's low risk for the Nets and they get another pick.

Whether Johnson is better than Porter is going to be debated until we're mid-way through next season, but it looks like a pretty lateral move for the Nuggets. But not having cap flexibility was an albatross they needed to be rid of and they did it. Now they can get some depth. Plus everyone assumes they Nuggets are going to suck in 2032. You really think 36 year-old Jokic is going to be so bad that the Nuggets are in the lottery? The pick could end up being meaningless.

Porter and Johnson are comparable player wise. It was all about getting off that monster contract, and being able to add depth. This trade opens up the MLE, gives Denver a trade kicker and unlocks a couple more perks. That 2032 draft pick, who knows how the team will be then. I hate that they had to give up yet another draft pick, but if it helps the team now, while Jokic is still in his prime, it's worth it. Denver couldn't afford to be complacent.

[ArksNetsSince99]

Must be really fun being a Nets fan.

lol it’s just understanding where the Nets are at right now. They’re not in position to put forth a good team right now and are focused on rebuilding. This trade has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with that unprotected 1st rounder in 2032. Jokic is still Jokic but anything can happen in 7 years.

Fair enough. I can live with your explanation, the "who cares" was a little off-putting coming from a Nets fan, especially when considering the team has been mediocre for what seems like a majority of my lifetime.

Never thought it could be challenging to understand at which point Nets is at the moment and that ball sharing between MPJ and Cam Thomas isn’t one of the problems

But like this thread shows it could be challenging for some Lakers fans

If I’m Lakers I’d worry about being sons of the Jokic and the Nuggets all over again , never ending story

[flranger]

Sometimes it's just time to move on...that is this move for Nuggets

What’s there to move on to? lol. These players are living in luxury and high class lifestyle…..

I was referring to "moving on" from the relationship. Feels like the Nuggets/MPJ had run their course.

[kan_t]

Cam Thomas and MPJ on the same team. RIP ball movement.

Who cares ?

Must be really fun being a Nets fan.

I think Nets fans should be fine with whatever the team does in the coming season as long as they continue to play the young players. Their goal shall be draft pick development and hope to have better luck in next year lottery.

I wouldn't be surprised if they trade Cam Thomas to get more assets.

[Paradise]

ALL about that unprotected 1st 7 years out.

I guarantee that the Nets GM, coach, etc will not be there 7 years from now. MPJ is overpaid and does nothing for them.

nobody will care to call you out in 7 years.
moreover, much earlier than that such pick will become a super valuable trade asset

Thank You. I’m tired of reading these losers coming in here thinking they know 29 teams other moves like an expert and will disappear when proven wrong.

I’ve seen it since 2016.

[therealbig3]

Must be really fun being a Nets fan.

lol it’s just understanding where the Nets are at right now. They’re not in position to put forth a good team right now and are focused on rebuilding. This trade has nothing to do with the player and everything to do with that unprotected 1st rounder in 2032. Jokic is still Jokic but anything can happen in 7 years.

Fair enough. I can live with your explanation, the "who cares" was a little off-putting coming from a Nets fan, especially when considering the team has been mediocre for what seems like a majority of my lifetime.

It hasn't been that bad, I don't think. I mean, it's not great, don't get me wrong, but if we look at this century, they've had what, 14 playoff appearances, which include 2 Finals appearances, 5 2nd round exits, and 7 1st round exits.

Like I said, not great. But other teams have had it worse, I feel.

[Chuck Everett]

One thing that is underrated about this. In one season, Jordi Fernandez rehabilitated the value of Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder and Cam Johnson. Perhaps he can do the same with Michael Porter Jr.

[Doctor MJ]

Read on Twitter

I like the deal for both teams. You can argue the Nuggets should have avoided the whole unprotected aspect of things, but they needed to get off Porter's contract and get a replacement on a much cheaper deal, and for that team's should be looking to get 1st round pick from after Jokic's best years.

Porter's regression remains such a rough thing. He really did play worthy of that contract in the season before he signed it, but from that point onward, he never did again, and while health issues were big in this, they really don't explain how erratic his effort seemed out there.

[Doctor MJ]

One thing that is underrated about this. In one season, Jordi Fernandez rehabilitated the value of Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder and Cam Johnson. Perhaps he can do the same with Michael Porter Jr.

Huh? I'm real confused by this post. Simmons was a superstar who got traded to the Nets for James Harden, and this season they just waived him, right?

[Chuck Everett]

One thing that is underrated about this. In one season, Jordi Fernandez rehabilitated the value of Ben Simmons, Dorian Finney-Smith, Dennis Schroder and Cam Johnson. Perhaps he can do the same with Michael Porter Jr.

Huh? I'm real confused by this post. Simmons was a superstar who got traded to the Nets for James Harden, and this season they just waived him, right?

Simmons was waived but he actually played well for Brooklyn last season as a backup facilitator. In Fernandez's system, he had Ben not looking like he was washed. He went to the Clippers and proceeded to look bad again. You have understand the baseline here for Ben was out of the league and somehow Fernandez received quality minutes out of the guy. The only reason Ben wasn't traded instead of waived was because his contract was too large.

[Peregrine01]

Read on Twitter

I like the deal for both teams. You can argue the Nuggets should have avoided the whole unprotected aspect of things, but they needed to get off Porter's contract and get a replacement on a much cheaper deal, and for that team's should be looking to get 1st round pick from after Jokic's best years.

Porter's regression remains such a rough thing. He really did play worthy of that contract in the season before he signed it, but from that point onward, he never did again, and while health issues were big in this, they really don't explain how erratic his effort seemed out there.

One thing that I see everyone underrate time and again is just plain motor (or energy or fire or whatever you want to call it). Porter looked like such a good prospect coming out of school cause of his size and length that got GMs fantasizing about KD comparisons. But even when he was healthy it was hard to feel his impact and he never popped out in terms of energy and hustle.

Contrast that to a guy like TJ McConnell who was perennially overlooked and has none of Porter's physical tools. Yet everytime he's on the floor I can't help but feel his impact because of how much energy he brings to the table. There are some players who just make things happen and others who don't.