The Denver Nuggets could make a huge move in the coming NBA offseason after falling short of their mission to become back-to-back champions. One idea about the Nuggets’ retooling has been recently floated by Dan Favale of Bleacher Report in which he raised a scenario where Denver acquires Utah Jazz’s stretch big Lauri Markkanen by trading “Michael Porter Jr., the No. 28 pick in 2024, first-round swaps in 2026, 2028 and 2030; second-round picks in 2025, 2026 and 2029” to the Jazz.
Michael Porter Jr. could be a Denver Nuggets trade bait
Markkanen has only a year left on his current contract and there’s no clarity yet whether the Jazz would sign him to an extension. That could lead to a trade soon, and the Nuggets would be quite a potential landing spot for the former Arizona Wildcats star.
Markkanen is effectively a better version of Porter, but he’s also about to get more expensive.
Porter is on the hook for $35.9 million, $38.3 million and $40.8 million over the next three seasons, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Markkanen’s next deal start at a rate above the one in the last year of Porter’s current contract.
Injury concerns are inescapable with MPJ, but he’s over a year younger than the Finn and logged 143 games (plus another 33 in the playoffs) across the last two seasons. Markkanen only appeared in 111 contests during that span.
Porter was a key player during the Nuggets’ title run in 2023 but he struggled mightily in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs where he averaged just 10.7 points on a salty 37.1 FG% in the series against Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For More NBA, WNBA, and College Basketball Content:
Follow me on X (formerly Twitter) at @Rexwell14. Also, do not forget to follow us at @HardwoodHeroics for even more great basketball content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in the world of the NBA that is now in the NBA Finals portion of the season, college basketball, and also the WNBA, click here!