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Monday marked the opening of NBA free agency, but a blockbuster trade between the Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets will be among the day's top headlines. The Nets traded Cam Johnson to the Nuggets for Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick, first reported by ESPN and confirmed by ClutchPoints.
Brooklyn's 2025 draft featuring an NBA-record five first-round picks indicated a commitment to a full rebuild. Meanwhile, Denver is attempting to craft another championship-caliber roster around three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
With that, we assess the deal for both sides and offer grades.
Grading Nets' trade acquisition of Michael Porter Jr., 2032 first-round pick
The Nets entered the offseason in a favorable position, as the NBA's only team with significant cap space. General manager Sean Marks used that space on Tuesday to absorb Terance Mann's contract in return for the No. 22 pick in the draft. He executed another salary dump in the Nuggets deal, absorbing the remaining two years and $79 million on Michael Porter Jr.'s contract and acquiring a premium asset in Denver’s unprotected 2032 pick.
Cam Johnson had been at the center of trade speculation over the last year after Brooklyn entered a rebuild. Yet, league sources told ClutchPoints that the rebuilding squad was not actively shopping him at the deadline and held a steep asking price of two first-round picks. No team met that price, and the Nets were content to hold onto the sharpshooting forward.
Johnson had a career-best season that caught the eye of the Nuggets' front office. While the veteran wing had emerged as the most respected voice in the Nets' locker room, he did not align with the team's rebuilding timeline. It's difficult to envision Brooklyn landing a much better draft asset for Johnson than Denver's unprotected 2032 first-round pick, which will be a nice negotiating chip in trade talks for a star down the line.
Porter Jr.'s contract won't hamstring the Nets long-term. The 27-year-old, previously coached by Jordi Fernandez in Denver, is a career 40 percent three-point shooter with some shot-creation ability. Should he perform well with Brooklyn, he is young enough to be a part of the team's next iteration. Regardless of his production, the Nets could use his $40.8 million expiring salary as a filler in a trade for a star in 2026-27 if they want to expedite their timeline.
Nets' Grade: A
Grading Nuggets' trade acquisition of Cam Johnson
Despite a depleted rotation, the Nuggets were the closest team to knocking off the Oklahoma City Thunder in this year's playoffs. Johnson should offer a seamless fit alongside Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon.
The newest Nugget is coming off a career-best season during which he averaged 18.8 points and 3.4 assists on 48/39/89 shooting splits. Johnson and Desmond Bane were the NBA's only players to average at least 18 points on such efficiency. Like Porter Jr., the 29-year-old will provide elite floor spacing alongside Jokic. However, he will present an upgrade in terms of secondary ball handling, decision-making and defense.
Swapping Porter Jr.'s $38.3 million salary for Johnson's $21 million contract also allowed the Nuggets to dip below the second apron and gain access to the $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception. They also generated a $16.8 million trade exception in the deal.
Parting with an unprotected 2032 first-round pick is risky for the Nuggets, who are competing in a loaded Western Conference. However, it's a worthwhile price to maximize the team's chances of winning another title during Jokic's prime. This grade is contingent on Denver utilizing its newfound flexibility to add depth around its new core four of Jokic, Murray, Gordon and Johnson.
Nuggets' Grade: A
