Should the Nets Target Nuggets' Michael Porter Jr.?

The Brooklyn Nets and Denver Nuggets have been linked in trade talks, and a deal could potentially involve forward Michael Porter Jr.

Oct 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Denver Nuggets small forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) dribbles the ball up the court past Brooklyn Nets small forward Cameron Johnson (2) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets are getting active in the trade market as teams are starting to inquire about veterans Cameron Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and others. After Dennis Schroder was traded to the Golden State Warriors last week, Brooklyn's direction is clear: ignite the rebuild and get younger.

According to Evan Sidery of Forbes, the Nets have been in talks with the Denver Nuggets regarding Johnson, with Finney-Smith and Bojan Bogdanovic potentially involved. Sidery mentions that Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. could be involved as well.

The Nuggets and Nets have held exploratory talks around a potential trade featuring Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson.

Denver would also be trying to acquire another wing on Brooklyn’s roster in the same deal: Dorian Finney-Smith or Bojan Bogdanovic. pic.twitter.com/aX3uNonvrV

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) December 18, 2024

The question for Brooklyn is whether or not the team is willing to give up highly-coveted assets like Johnson and Finney-Smith for a 26-year-old Porter Jr., as other teams could be willing to trade first-round draft capital as an alternative. There are risks and rewards to the deal.

If Brooklyn were to make the trade and acquire Porter Jr., it'd be getting an established scorer with even more opportunities to boost production. The 6-foot-10 forward is averaging 18.5 points and 7.8 rebounds as the third option in Denver. If he were to be traded to the Nets, he'd undoubtedly be the first option with star Cam Thomas out. At 26, Porter Jr. has two years left on his contract after this season, so there isn't a risk of immediately losing him in free agency.

All of this points to the Nets making the trade, but the one risk they run is losing out on draft capital. While they'd have the security of knowing what they're getting, Brooklyn could be missing out in the long term.

The Nets got an incredible haul of first-round picks after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks earlier this year, and Johnson, along with Finney-Smith, could bring back a solid return as well. There are two routes Brooklyn could go if the organization is prioritizing draft capital: try to pluck a first-round pick from Denver along with Porter Jr. or look elsewhere for more capital.

Seeing as how the Nets potentially have 14 first-round picks from 2025 to 2030, a trade for Porter Jr. makes sense. They can afford to not get an abundance of picks in return for the forward and still have one of the best futures in the NBA. Plus, Porter Jr. can truly emerge as one of the best scorers in the league as the first option in Brooklyn, or sharing the ball with Thomas.

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