The clock has just started to tick on NBA trade season and the Denver Nuggets have emerged as a key team to watch.
Recently linked with several high-scoring guards, retooling around Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray is looking more a question of when rather than if, particularly after Denver fell to the 9-18 Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday night.
What We Know?
Trading Murray is not an option before the trade deadline as the guard signed a four-year, $208 million extension in September. Aaron Gordon is also ineligible for trade before the deadline as he signed a four-year, $133 million extension in October. Jokic is not available for reasons that don’t need to be explained. That leaves Michael Porter Jr. as the biggest asset the Nuggets have to offer if looking to make a significant change to their roster.
With the reported links to Zach LaVine, Jordan Poole and Jordan Clarkson, among others, Denver’s other players wouldn’t make a deal feasible financially. The likes of Zeke Nnaji would only work as salary filler to get a deal over the line.
Porter Jr. is averaging 18.4 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists and just under a steal while shooting 38.7 percent from three and 51.3 percent from the field overall. He is earning $35.6 million this season, $38.3 million next season, and $40.8 million in 2026-27.
Trade Ideas
With all that in mind, here are some potential trades, and whether they make actually make sense:
Chicago Bulls receive: Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji
Denver Nuggets receive: Zach LaVine
Since LaVine makes $43 million this season, the Nuggets actually have to give up an additional player to make the salaries work. This is where the feasibility of a LaVine trade is questionable, because reducing the team’s already minimal depth seems disadvantageous.
LaVine would certainly offer the team more ball handling and individual shot creation, and he put on a heck of an audition against the Boston Celtics Thursday night with 36 points to lead Chicago past the defending champs. The idea of LaVine, at his best, playing off Jokic is certainly tantalizing. He is also a negative defender with a serious injury history.
Porter Jr. is a quality forward, is younger and was arguably the Nuggets’ second-best player in the postseason last year. This feels like a move that would be a home run or a strikeout and no in between.
Washington Wizards receive: Michael Porter Jr., Dario Saric, Vlatko Cancar, DaRon Holmes II
Denver Nuggets receive: Jordan Poole, Jonas Valanciunas, Saddiq Bey
Jordan Poole and Jonas Valanciunas were both linked with the Nuggets in The Athletic’s report, and would make sense for Denver to want at least both players in a deal sending Porter Jr. the other way. In this case, that’s actually possible because Poole makes $6 million less than Porter Jr. and so the Wizards would have to send additional salary the other way.
Porter Jr. would be the best player in the deal, but Denver would add more of the on-ball creativity it craves as well as a very serviceable backup big for Jokic. That may just be what they need to hold up better in non-Jokic minutes and actually feel confident in giving him more room to catch a breather at least during the regular season.
Bey gives the team another outside shooting option if he can get healthy before the playoffs. He tore his ACL back in March.
Utah Jazz receive: Michael Porter Jr., Jalen Pickett
Denver Nuggets receive: Jordan Clarkson, Collin Sexton
This is another deal that nets the Nuggets added depth while also addressing dribble penetration at the guard position. Clarkson would be a great scorer off the bench and Sexton could lead the ball-handling duties in secondary lineups while also being capable of starting for Murray if he’s injured or occupying the other guard spot ahead of Christian Braun or Russell Westbrook.
When all are healthy, there may be some fit concerns with all of Murray, Westbrook, Sexton and Clarkson having to work together, but head coach Michael Malone would much rather that problem than the lack of options right now.
Utah would receive a young, talented and experienced player who could be a part of the new core comprising Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George and Walker Kessler. Pickett is a young player the Jazz may deem worthy of taking a flier on.
Atlanta Hawks receive: Michael Porter Jr., Julian Strawther, Vlatko Cancar
Denver Nuggets receive: De’Andre Hunter, Bogdan Bogdanovic
This might be the best deal the Nuggets can do. De’Andre Hunter is having a very good season with the Hawks thus far, averaging 19.8 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 45.3 percent from 3-point range. He would represent a defensive upgrade over Porter Jr., even if he may not have the same offensive ceiling, though that could change playing alongside Jokic.
Bogdanovic would be a dream acquisition for Jokic, a veteran swingman who can playmake, shoot the lights out and has a penchant for performing in big games. The two showed great chemistry playing together for Serbia at the Olympics this past summer and would undoubtedly relish the chance to join forces again.
For the Hawks, Porter Jr. could prove a seamless fit alongside Trae Young and Jalen Johnson, though they would have to evaluate how it cuts into the development plans of rookie and first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. Julian Strawther could be an intriguing young replacement for Bogdanovic while Cancar would be the necessary salary to complete the deal.
Brooklyn Nets receive: Michael Porter Jr., Vlatko Cancar, 2031 first-round pick (top-five protected)
Denver Nuggets receive: Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith
This trade would also represent a legitimate win for the Nuggets, but it’s worth wondering if they’re offering enough to get the Nets to bite.
Porter Jr. and Johnson have their similarities, though the former is a couple years younger. Brooklyn has reportedly looked for at least a first-round pick in return for Finney-Smith, so Denver needs to put one of its picks on the table. Do the Nets see Porter Jr. as a legitimate building block over someone like Johnson? Is there a better offer coming from elsewhere?
Those are the factors that will ultimately decide if something could be brewing between Denver and Brooklyn.
