NBA trade grades for Michael Porter Jr.-Cam Johnson swap for Nuggets and Nets

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Let’s grade the Nuggets-Nets trade from both sides.

The Denver Nuggets are loading up for another championship run, and they’re willing to risk their future to do it.

The Nuggets acquired Cameron Johnson from the Brooklyn Nets on Monday night for Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round draft pick. Minutes later, the Nuggets brought back old friend Bruce Brown in free agency. As one member of Denver’s 2023 championship team exits in Porter, another one enters in Brown.

Johnson had the best year of his career with the Brooklyn Nets last season. He averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game on elite 63.2 percent true shooting. Johnson turns 30 in March and has a reputation as one of the best wing shooters in the NBA. Porter just turned 27 years old, but has battled back and foot problems throughout his career, and played through a shoulder injury during the 2025 playoffs.

An unprotected 2032 pick is a steep price to pay to upgrade from Porter Jr. to Johnson. Was it worth it from the Nuggets? Let’s grade this deal from both sides.

Nuggets trade grades for Cameron Johnson for Michael Porter Jr. trade

It felt like the Nuggets were on the doorstep of another championship this past season despite losing in the second round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Denver took the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a Game 7, and if Aaron Gordon didn’t suffer an untimely hamstring injury, they might have won.

Johnson is a fantastic fit in Denver. He’s one of the best three-point shooters in the NBA, and his off-ball scoring is a perfect match next to Nikola Jokic’s brilliant playmaking. While Johnson has never been known for his defense, he still graded out as a better player than Porter at both ends of the floor last season by EPM.

Johnson is coming off a year where he made 39 percent of his threes on 7.2 attempts per game. He also made 89.3 percent of his free throws. The Nuggets will take a step back in the rebounding department by swapping Porter for Johnson, but Johnson is a much better passer who also gets to the foul line more. Porter has actually been more durable over the last few years, but Johnson seems like a better bet to stay healthier in the future because he doesn’t have the same nagging injuries that MPJ has endured.

Johnson’s contract is also much more team-friendly than the one Porter Jr. is on. Johnson has two years and $42 million remaining on his deal. Porter Jr. has two years and $79 million left on his deal.

Johnson is an elite role player who is stepping into basketball nirvana with Jokic and Aaron Gordon flanking him. The Nuggets need Jamal Murray to stay healthy and productive, but they moved closer to winning the 2026 championship with this move. My only hesitation here is the 2032 unprotected draft pick — a steep price to pay for this upgrade on the wing.

I’m in favor of the Nuggets using the pick as a trade chip. Jokic will be 37 years old in 2032 and at the very end of his career, if he’s even still playing. The Nuggets’ championship window is right now with Jokic in his prime, and they owe it to a generational superstar to go all-in on trying to get another championship. For as great as the Thunder were in the regular season, they looked shaky in the playoffs. Denver pushed them to the brink even with some bad luck, and they’re better now.

Could Denver have gotten a better player than Johnson by dangling its unprotected 2032 pick? That’s my only real hang-up here. This feels like the Nuggets’ big swing for the foreseeable future, which means it has to be the one to put them over the top. I like it, but would love to know what else was out there.

Nuggets grade: B+

Nets trade grades for Michael Porter Jr. trade

The Nets were the only team in the NBA with real cap space as free agency started. They used it to land a premium asset in Denver’s unprotected 2032 pick. The pick will come in handy when Brooklyn is ready to swing a trade for a superstar, but for now they are just fine continuing their rebuild.

The Nets are planning to pick at the top of the 2026 NBA Draft again — hopefully in a better position than the No. 8 overall pick they landed in 2025. Johnson had no place on a rebuilding team. Porter Jr. will help give the Nets some spacing and shooting to help their young ball handlers develop as Johnson exits. This is a perfect trade for the Nets after a highly questionable draft for the franchise.

The Nets have now flipped Mikal Bridges and Johnson for awesome returns following their Kevin Durant trade to Phoenix. Brooklyn has put itself in an enviable position of having a clean cap sheet and ton of ammunition to trade for a star. If the Nets land a top-3 pick in a loaded 2026 NBA Draft, expect an acceleration trade to happen sooner rather than later.

The Nets raised Johnson’s value and moved off him at the ideal time. Brooklyn is loading up, even if they aren’t ready for their next step yet.

Grade: A