How the Denver Nuggets Turned Michael Porter Jr.’s $38.3M Price Tag into a Deep, Versatile Core That Keeps Title Window Open
The Denver Nuggets entered the offseason with a complicated financial puzzle and a pressing need to remain competitive in a loaded Western Conference. Michael Porter Jr., while a capable scorer and valuable piece of their 2023 championship team, was set to earn a staggering $38.3 million next season. For a team already feeling the weight of a top-heavy salary cap—largely tied up in Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray—this kind of financial commitment to an inconsistent third option posed a real dilemma.
Porter’s ability has never been in question. A 6’10” forward with one of the smoothest jumpers in the league, MPJ’s scoring touch from outside and athleticism made him a unique offensive threat. But his defensive limitations, lack of playmaking, and oft-criticized basketball IQ occasionally made him a liability in tight playoff contests. In Denver’s 2024 postseason exit, those weaknesses were once again exposed. After years of patience and development, it became clear to the Nuggets’ front office that keeping Porter at a max-level salary was an unsustainable luxury.
So instead of running it back with the same core and banking on marginal improvements, Denver’s front office made one of the boldest moves of the offseason. They traded Porter Jr. and broke up his massive salary into four productive, affordable veterans: Cam Johnson, Jonas Valančiūnas, Tim Hardaway Jr., and Bruce Brown—returning to the team after a one-year stint in Indiana. Remarkably, the combined salaries of those four players add up to just under $37 million—more than $1 million less than Porter’s figure alone.
At face value, Denver gave up the most talented individual in the deal. But in reality, they may have dramatically raised their ceiling by addressing depth, defense, versatility, and playoff resilience. This wasn’t just a money-saving move—it was a recalibration rooted in team identity and roster balance.
Cam Johnson, the headliner of the return, immediately injects Denver’s rotation with a 6’8″ forward capable of defending multiple positions and knocking down threes at a consistent clip. He’s not the same level of pure scorer as Porter, but Johnson is more disciplined on both ends of the floor and fits more snugly within a team-first system. He doesn’t need the ball to impact games, moves well off screens, and is a better on-ball defender than Porter has ever been. In many ways, Johnson is the kind of “glue guy” who becomes exponentially more valuable in deep playoff runs.
Then there’s Jonas Valančiūnas, who gives Denver something they’ve lacked for years: a physical, rebounding big man to spell Jokić. For all of Jokić’s brilliance, the Nuggets have struggled whenever he sits. Valančiūnas offers a reliable presence in those minutes, capable of scoring in the post, grabbing offensive boards, and anchoring bench units. He won’t close games, and he doesn’t space the floor, but his presence means Denver doesn’t have to rely on small-ball or unproven youth to survive Jokić’s rest periods.
Tim Hardaway Jr. brings microwave scoring off the bench—something Denver’s second unit sorely lacked last season. He’s streaky, yes, but when he’s hot, he can swing quarters with back-to-back threes and aggressive drives. More importantly, he’s a veteran who knows how to operate in playoff intensity, and he’ll thrive in a defined role where he doesn’t need to be a creator, just a scorer.
And finally, Bruce Brown. The heart and soul of Denver’s 2023 title run. His departure to Indiana last summer left a defensive and emotional void that never truly got filled. His return might be the most meaningful part of this entire transaction. Brown’s ability to guard multiple positions, handle the ball in transition, and play with a tenacious edge is exactly what the Nuggets missed during their 2024 playoff collapse. He’s not a star, but he’s the kind of player who wins games in May and June. In many ways, Brown is the ultimate playoff connector—a guy who doesn’t need plays run for him but can thrive in chaos, make clutch plays, and energize a roster.
From a cap management standpoint, the move is genius. Shedding Porter’s $38.3 million annual hit in exchange for four veterans on team-friendly deals allows Denver to regain flexibility. Instead of being cornered by the second tax apron, they now have breathing room to make future moves, sign role players, or navigate the luxury tax without sacrificing core talent.
But beyond the numbers, this trade reflects a philosophical shift. For years, Denver was building around a Big Three model—Jokić, Murray, and Porter. Now, they’re evolving into a deep, adaptable unit where Jokić and Murray remain the primary engines, but the supporting cast is more varied and playoff-ready. In the modern NBA, where injuries, matchups, and depth determine championships as much as top-line talent, this approach might be more sustainable and effective.
Consider the trajectory of recent champions. The 2021 Bucks had Giannis, but they also had a stable of tough veterans like Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Bobby Portis, and P.J. Tucker. The 2022 Warriors leaned on role players like Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II. The 2023 Nuggets themselves rode the timely contributions of Brown, Jeff Green, and Christian Braun. The 2024 Celtics crushed opponents not just with top-end talent but with overwhelming depth and lineup versatility. The trend is clear: you need more than just stars—you need answers up and down the bench.
Denver’s new roster fits that bill. Instead of being forced to overplay starters or pray for bench breakouts, head coach Michael Malone now has lineup flexibility. Want to go big? Pair Jokić with Valančiūnas in bully-ball lineups. Need defense and transition offense? Throw in Brown and Johnson. Need shooting? Insert Hardaway for an instant scoring punch. The Nuggets suddenly have multiple ways to win a playoff game.
Of course, there are risks. MPJ’s floor may have been frustrating, but his ceiling—when healthy and hot—is still All-Star level. If he finds consistency elsewhere, Denver could end up missing his offensive punch. Chemistry is another consideration. Integrating four new rotation pieces takes time, especially in a system as Jokić-centric as Denver’s. And while Johnson and Brown are solid defenders, losing MPJ’s spacing could impact the team’s offensive flow—at least initially.
But the upside far outweighs the downside. This trade is about prioritizing basketball IQ, physicality, and malleability over pure scoring potential. It’s about surrounding the best player in the world with more ways to win, not just more names on paper. The Nuggets were already elite—they’re now better prepared for the long grind of a championship chase.
Jokić remains the best center in the league. Jamal Murray is still a playoff assassin. Now, instead of leaning on a flawed third star, the Nuggets can deploy a battle-tested cast that complements their identity. They’ve lowered their financial burden, improved their rotation, and reclaimed the kind of defensive versatility that defined their 2023 championship run.
Perhaps the best part? They did it without mortgaging the future. Christian Braun and Peyton Watson are still on the roster, and both are poised for larger roles. If either takes a leap, Denver becomes even more dangerous. And with some financial breathing room, they can still make midseason adjustments via trade or buyout.
In an offseason filled with splashy trades and risky swings, the Nuggets made a move that was quietly brilliant. They didn’t chase headlines. They built a team. They sacrificed one talented scorer to acquire four winning players. They moved away from the superstar dependency model and returned to the strength-in-numbers approach that made them champions.
Michael Porter Jr. may go on to have a strong individual season elsewhere. He may average 20+ points, hit highlight-reel threes, and make All-Star noise. But Denver didn’t need another scorer. They needed defenders, ball-movers, and pros who know how to win ugly playoff games.
And that’s exactly what they got.
The road to the Finals goes through Denver as long as Jokić is wearing navy and gold. But now, thanks to this savvy retooling, he won’t have to drag them there alone.
