The Denver Nuggets took a risk in the 2018 NBA Draft when they selected Michael Porter Jr. with the 14th overall pick. And yes, this does eventually connect to a potential James Harden trade.
Denver was, and still is, a team on the rise. They could have traded that pick for a win-now player, but they decided to keep it. Porter Jr. himself was a highly touted talent but, he was rather injury prone in college. That was a risk at least 13 other teams didn't want to make. Nonetheless, after a successful run in the bubble, Porter Jr.'s stock is rising rapidly.
On the daily Locked On Nuggets Podcast, host Matt Moore reveals that he asked around the league during the offseason to gauge Michael Porter Jr.'s stock in trade talks and discovered it would take a lot for Denver to deal MPJ. In the process, also squashing the idea of Denver giving away Jamal Murray in a James Harden trade.
Matt Moore: My understanding with Michael Porter Jr. was, as I went through the rigmarole of trying to get a sense for how much he was valued in the offseason, it would take an MVP caliber player for him to even be on the table. He was untouchable outside of an MVP caliber player.
Now, James Harden won the MVP in 2017. He's been a top-three finisher in each of the last five seasons. In each of the last five seasons. James Harden has finished in the top three for MVP, so he obviously qualifies. The key there I think though is there has to be some level of fit. I will go ahead and say that there is no chance from where I'm at, of it being Jamal Murray and MPJ for Harden.
That makes zero sense. It betrays everything that they've built. It betrays everything that Jamal Murray has shown them, he's younger, they've got him on a max deal. He doesn't cost as much as Harden does. He doesn't come with all of the things that James Harden comes with. They've invested in the kid and he paid off that really doesn't make any sense? So I'll go ahead and throw that out.
Follow Us
Subscribe