Michael Porter Jr.'s contract proved too costly for the Denver Nuggets this offseason. Less than two years removed from a championship, the team traded Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson. While many view Johnson as an upgrade for Denver, he and Porter Jr. were placed in the same tier in The Athletic's Top-40 wing rankings.
Zach Harper ranked Johnson at No. 18, while Porter Jr. was No. 20. Both players were part of a tier that included Brandon Miller, Trey Murphy III and Ausar Thompson.
“Johnson will have a career year with Nikola Jokić passing to him … and I’m interested to see what MPJ looks like without Jokić passing to him,” Harper wrote.
With two years and $79 million remaining on Porter Jr.'s contract, the Nuggets sought a cheaper alternative this offseason. They found one in Johnson, who is coming off a career-best season, and attached their last tradable first-round pick to Porter Jr. to acquire him.
Nets' Michael Porter Jr. and Nuggets' Cam Johnson embracing new roles after trade
Johnson averaged 18.8 points and 3.4 assists on 48/39/89 shooting splits last season under first-year Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez. He and Desmond Bane were the NBA's only players to average at least 18 points on such efficiency.
The 29-year-old should fit like a glove next to Nikola Jokic as one of the NBA's top spot-up shooters. He also flashed improved shot creation as a pick-and-roll ball-handler and isolation scorer with Brooklyn.
Meanwhile, Porter Jr. has also been one of the NBA's top floor spacers throughout his career. The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 17.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists on 49/40/78 shooting splits over his last three seasons. However, he did not see many opportunities as a pick-and-roll initiator or isolation scorer with Jokic and Jamal Murray dominating Denver's offense.
Porter Jr. will have an opportunity to show what he can do in those areas with Brooklyn. Fernandez said the trade acquisition will have an expanded offensive role this season, which isn't surprising given Brooklyn's lack of shot-creation.
Should Porter Jr. excel amid the change in scenery, he could be a focal point of the Nets' next iteration. Brooklyn could also flip him in a trade for a star at some point during the next two seasons.
