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Fans thought an offseason trade involving one of the core members of the Denver Nuggets was inevitable after the team fired head coach Michael Malone with just three games to go in the regular season. The team was never going to move Nikola Jokic, as he is the best player in the league. All of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. seemed like potential trade candidates, though.
Then, the Nuggets started to make some noise in the playoffs with David Adelman at the helm. Murray reminded everybody that he is a playoff riser, and Aaron Gordon hit two game-winners on the road. Porter struggled throughout the playoffs, though. The Nuggets took the Oklahoma City Thunder to seven games, but injuries to Porter and Gordon prevented them from reaching the Western Conference Finals.
The Nuggets don't have a lot of paths to getting better this offseason, which could lead them to trading Porter. Could a deal with the Orlando Magic make sense?
Magic trade proposal for Michael Porter Jr.
Magic receive: Michael Porter Jr.
Nuggets receive: Jonathan Isaac, Gary Harris, Mo Wagner, Cory Joseph
Nets receive: Caleb Houston, cash considerations
Porter took the blame for Denver's postseason struggles, and rightfully so, as he averaged just single-digit scoring figures. However, Porter was playing through a shoulder injury he suffered in round one against the Los Angeles Clippers. The injury often prevented him from even lifting his arm, which made normal basketball moves like shooting and rebounding next to impossible.
Porter's willingness to play through the pain should be admired. He is still the most likely player to be sent packing if the Nuggets' next front office group decides that major changes are necessary, though. Depth is the biggest concern for the Nuggets. They only had seven reliable rotation players this year, and that became harder to navigate when injuries took their toll. The Nuggets' starters were forced to play nearly the entirety of every playoff game, and that led to fatigue, especially because the team went to two Game 7s.
In this deal, the Nuggets add three surefire rotation players: Jonathan Isaac, Gary Harris, and Mo Wagner. Isaac has often been hampered by injuries in his own right, but he is a defensive ace who can guard both on the inside and outside. While Jokic is incredible on offense and even often underrated as a defender, he can still use all of the defensive help he can get.
Speaking of Jokic, the Nuggets have long lacked a reliable backup center. Wagner happens to be one of the best in the NBA because of his interior shooting touch and impressive footwork. Harris can definitely work in Denver, too, as his best days in the NBA came as a Nugget and favorite passing target for Jokic. Harris averaged as much as 17.5 points per game during his prime in Denver, largely due to his ability to cut off the basketball. He won't give that level of production anymore, but he can contribute reliable minutes as a 3-and-D player. Even Cory Joseph has starting experience in the NBA.
The Nuggets aren't really in a place to add tons of talent outside of the trade market. They don't have any draft picks this season, and as a first-apron team, they are limited in who they can sign in free agency. While none of the players that Denver would bring in with this trade are the caliber of player that Porter is, the team simply needs more help, and Porter has proven to be unreliable at times.
Reports have suggested that the Nuggets' ownership doesn't want to see Porter go because of their ties to the University of Missouri. However, a new front office will likely be ready to make a big splash, and the Nuggets might need to make a trade to ensure they are maximizing Jokic's prime. After all, their last big trade with the Magic paid off in a big way and resulted in a championship. That was, of course, the deal for Gordon.
Should the Magic trade with the Nuggets?
The Magic were the worst 3-point shooting team in the NBA this season. Orlando only made 31.5% of their long balls. While trading five players for a player who isn't an All-Star seems like a lot, the Magic have depth to spare, and they aren't moving any of their core players or any draft picks in this deal.
Michael Porter Jr. would certainly fix their shooting problem. At 6-foot-10 and with a high release, Porter's shot is next to impossible to contest. He is one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA, evidenced by his career 40.6% clip from deep over his career. While the trigger-happy forward gets made fun of because of his refusal to swing the rock, the Magic can use a player who is always ready to fire and can get lots of shots up and in from beyond the arc.
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are elite forwards, but both are better drivers than shooters. Porter wouldn't hurt the Magic's desire for size and length, but he'd join ex-teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in helping to fix the Magic's biggest weakness.
