The Denver Nuggets have few available options this offseason to make major changes, with the exception of potentially considering a trade for Michael Porter Jr. Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey put together 10 potential surprise trade proposals for teams to consider this offseason.
In one trade proposal, the Nuggets would send Porter to the Orlando Magic in exchange for Cole Anthony, Jonathan Isaac, and a first-round pick in 2025. It would be obvious that the Nuggets were trying to get out of Porter’s five-year, $179 million contract.
In a May 26, 2024 post headlined “10 Potential NBA Trade Ideas Nobody Is Talking About,” Bailey stated that “a painful but possibly necessary consideration is trading Michael Porter Jr., whose $35.9 million salary for next season could be broken up into multiple rotation players.”
Moving on from a top player with whom Denver developed and won a championship would be difficult, but the Nuggets have two intriguing candidates in Christian Braun and Peyton Watson who could succeed him. It would also help the bench if Jonathan Isaac could play lights-out defense and Cole Anthony could score points in a flash.
Magic Rumors: Would Orlando Want to Trade for Nuggets Forward Michael Porter Jr.’s $179 Million Contract?
Orlando must carefully evaluate which important addition to make in addition to Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero. In the upcoming years, contract extensions for both players are due. Along with Wagner, Jalen Suggs also has a contract with the Magic that ends after the 2024–25 season.
Orlando should have a lot of cap room this offseason, and since several important players are expected to get raises, it might be the final one in a long time. Is Porter the appropriate piece to combine with Banchero and Wagner? Porter would provide the Magic with much-needed three-point shooting, but trading for him would come at a hefty cost..
“The Orlando Magic would be a logical suitor for the 6’10”, 25-year-old sharpshooter,” Bailey noted. “They had the league’s second-best defense this past season but finished 30th in threes per game and 24th in three-point percentage.
“Having MPJ’s shooting to space the floor around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner would make Orlando’s offense significantly more difficult to defend. The length of lineups with those three would make it one of the league’s most switchable.”
Denver Nuggets Star Michael Porter Jr. Struggled vs. Minnesota Timberwolves in NBA Playoffs
Porter struggled in the Nuggets’ second round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, scoring single digits in five of the seven games. The forward averaged 10.7 points while shooting 32.5% from long range in the series.
This was down from Porter’s typical production as the team’s third star alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Porter averaged 16.7 points, 7 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game while shooting 39.7% from long range in 81 starts during the regular season.
Nuggets Rumors: Denver May Need to Shed Salary in the Coming Years
Although Denver’s cap position is not ideal, there have been no signs that the franchise is looking to trade Porter. Porter’s $179 million contract has three seasons left on it.
In 2024–2025, the veteran is expected to have a $35.8 million cap hit. General manager Calvin Booth of the Nuggets mentioned that the team might be prepared to play through the second phase of the luxury tax in order to keep a competitive roster.
Harrison Wind of DVR Sports clarified on May 23 on X, saying, “Calvin Booth leaves the door open for the Nuggets to go into the second luxury tax apron to re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope if he opts out of his contract.” “He stated Denver will, but he didn’t rule it out.
