Trail Blazers trade proposal for Michael Porter Jr. after postseason struggles

Changes could be coming to the Denver Nuggets roster this offseason. The team doesn't have a pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and as a first-apron team on the fringe of the second-apron, they won't be able to add much talent in free agency. That means the team might have to scour the trade market in order to get better, and it has to be assumed that the team's next general manager will be anxious to make a splash and get Nikola Jokic's team back into championship contention. Michael Porter Jr. is the team's best trade chip.

Porter struggled in the postseason, largely because of a shoulder injury. The 3-point specialist averaged single-digit scoring figures, and a lot of Nuggets fans now want him to be traded. The Portland Trail Blazers could use his marksmanship from deep, so what could a Porter trade to Portland look like?

Trail Blazers trade proposal for Michael Porter Jr.

Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons (1) drives to the basket during the first half against Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) at Moda Center. — Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

Trail Blazers receive: Michael Porter Jr., Hunter Tyson, Jalen Pickett, 2031 first-round pick

Nuggets receive: Robert Williams, Anfernee Simons

The Nuggets' postseason demise came largely in part because they were riddled by injuries, and they didn't have the bodies to make up for that. On top of Porter's shoulder injury, Aaron Gordon was forced to play through a Grade 2 hamstring strain. The team was incredibly thin, which forced their starters to play nearly the entirety of every postseason game.

This was a problem before the playoffs even started, and it was a reason head coach Michael Malone and general manager Calvin Booth were fired. As a 6-foot-10 shooter, Porter does play an important role on a Jokic-led team, but the team desperately needs more depth. Porter's postseason struggles can be somewhat forgiven because of his injury, but without the draft capital to use in a trade and without the cap space to add via free agency, the team might be forced into trading Porter.

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The Houston Rockets invested heavily into Fred VanVleet during the 2023 offseason. Houston gave the point guard a three-year, $128 million deal in a move that was meant to turn the Rockets from a rebuilding team into a championship contending one. The signing did just that, as the Rockets finished the 2024-25 regular season as the two-seed in a stacked Western Conference. VanVleet was the veteran presence and 3-point shooter that the team desperately needed, and he still might have a role with the Rockets going forward. Houston has a team option on his contract for next year, and they very well may pick it up. The Wichita State product reportedly wants to stay in Houston, but the point guard would be set to make over $44 million next season under his current contract. The Rockets and their guard recently pushed back the deadline on Houston's decision with VanVleet, and although reports suggest that they are interested in writing up a new, long-term deal, it isn't necessarily a guarantee that VanVleet will be playing for Houston next year. The Rockets blew him away with an offer he couldn't refuse back in 2023, and another team could so the same when/if he hits the open market this offseason. If VanVleet does become an unrestricted free agent, which teams outside of Houston would make the most sense for him to sign with? 1. Orlando Magic Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner recently signed big deals with the Orlando Magic, and Paolo Banchero will be getting a mega contract extension here soon. Because of that, the Magic no longer have money to blow like they have had in recent years. That will make a deal for another big ticket free agent hard to pull off, especially considering the team signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope last year. If Orlando can make the money work, though, then Fred VanVleet would be a great fit with the Magic. The Magic finished dead last in 3-point shooting this season, and VanVleet has made at least 2.5 deep balls per game in every season since 2018-19. VanVleet can hit shots form behind the arc off of the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations. The Rockets were heavily reliant on his shooting expertise, so the guard would have plenty of familiarity getting up deep shots with high volume if he signed with the Magic. While undersized, VanVleet is a pesky defender, so he'd fit right in with a Magic team that has one of the best defensive units in the league. VanVleet could play alongside Suggs and give opposing teams fits. Ultimately, though, the Magic just need more shooting to get to the next level, and VanVleet is arguably the best shooter who could be available on the open market this offseason. 2. Brooklyn Nets A more realistic option for a VanVleet destination would be the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are set up to have the most cap space this offseason, and they have a major need at point guard. With D'Angelo Russell and De'Anthony Melton hitting free agency this offseason, the Nets don't have a true point guard under contract for next season. Brooklyn needs to spend big this offseason, and they'd be smart to offer VanVleet a contract big enough that he'd have no choice but to leave Houston. VanVleet averaged 14.1 points per game last season, which was his lowest mark since 2018-19. He is trending the wrong way, but he still has enough left in the tank to give the Nets a few good seasons. 3. Portland Trail Blazers In the same way that the Rockets were looking to take the next step in 2023, the Portland Trail Blazers could use VanVleet's presence to get over the hump. The Trail Blazers have plenty of big man depth, as centers Deandre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams, and Duop Death are all under contract next season. Portland also has a lot of wing depth. Deni Advija started to look like a star late this past season, Toumani Camara is an elite defender, Shaedon Sharpe is a freakish athlete, and Jerami Grant is a proven scorer. The team is thinner in the backcourt, though. Anfernee Simons is a solid scorer, but Scoot Henderson has looked like a fringe draft bust since being drafted third overall. Portland shouldn't give up on Henderson completely, but there wouldn't be any harm in signing another guard. Like the Magic, the Blazers were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the NBA. VanVleet would improve that weakness, and in a stacked Western Conference, Portland needs all of the help they can get if they are to compete for a playoff spot.

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In this trade, the Nuggets give up one clear-cut rotation player for two. Anfernee Simons was Portland's leading scorer last season, and the Nuggets could use that boost of offensive firepower. Porter is a great shooter, but he isn't nearly the creator that Simons is. Despite that, the Trail Blazers appear to be prioritizing youngsters like Shaedon Sharpe, Donovan Clingan, and Scoot Henderson, and Deni Avdija was looking like the team's star at the end of the season.

Additionally, the Nuggets have long needed a backup center, and a defensive-minded one like Robert Williams would make a lot of sense behind Jokic. Williams is an elite rim protector, but the Trail Blazers have far too many centers on their roster. William's injury history might make him the most expendable, so Portland might be more likely to move him than DeAndre Ayton. Porter was a key contributor during the Nuggets' championship run, and the team shouldn't be too quick to give up on him, but this is a deal that they'd have to consider.

Would the Trail Blazers trade for Michael Porter Jr.?

The Western Conference is stacked, so the Trail Blazers can't stay put if they want to compete for the playoffs next season. A trade for Porter could make sense for Portland because they were one of the worst 3-point shooting teams in the league last year. The Trail Blazers shot 34.2% from deep as a team.

Porter is a career 40.6% shooter from beyond the arc. At 6-foot-10 and with a high release point, Porter's shot is impossible to contest. He'd get plenty of open looks from deep off dishes from Portland's plethora of drivers. Losing Simons would hurt the Trail Blazers, but Williams doesn't have much of a future in Portland, so they wouldn't be too upset about trading him.

Plus, Portland would add a valuable 2031 first-rounder from the Nuggets here. By that point, Jokic and Jamal Murray should be out of their primes. As a result, that pick could be bound for the lottery. Additionally, trading Simons could lead to Henderson breaking out. The former number three overall pick has looked like a bust at times during his career, but Portland needs him to work out. He has shown flashes of living up to his potential, and clearing some additional backcourt minutes could help him break out.