Analyzing why Denver won the Michael Porter Jr.- Cameron Johnson trade despite Cam's shooting slump

When the Denver Nuggets and Brooklyn Nets completed the trade this summer that sent Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round draft pick in exchange for Cameron Johnson, many immediately labeled the deal an absolute win for the team from Colorado.

According to many NBA analysts, Denver essentially received a statistically similar player for less money, which freed up cap space to sign additional pieces.

Now, almost 20 games into the season, the Nets look like the clear winners of the trade from a pure basketball standpoint. MPJ is having a career season, delivering everything he hinted at once the deal went through. He is currently averaging 24.3 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists, with only 2.1 turnovers, shooting 48.4 percent from the field and operating at a career-high usage rate of 29.4 percent.

He is at career highs in points, rebounds, assists, free-throw percentage and although many expected a jump from him after Cam Thomas' injury made him the unquestioned No. 1 option, it's still worth noting he has maintained a high level of efficiency despite the thin roster around him. It's also notable that until last night, he held a streak of nine straight 20-plus-point games, the longest of his career.

Johnson is having a hard time adapting

On the other side of the coast, in the Mile High City, Cameron Johnson is statistically playing the worst basketball of his career. The North Carolina product is currently at averages of 9.9 points and 3.2 rebounds, shooting 45 percent from the field and just 35 percent from deep and those numbers are actually respectable considering that over his last five games he has averaged 16.0 points and 4.6 rebounds on 57.4 percent shooting and 60.8 percent from deep.

The start of the season and the adjustment to the system was a very painful period for the 6-foot-8 forward, but after Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon were ruled out for at least a month, Johnson immediately embraced a bigger offensive role and has begun producing, at least for now.

But the key to the entire trade is the depth the Nuggets currently have, which has shown to be crucial during the absence of two important starters. As already mentioned, the trade freed up cap space for Denver, and with the remaining money, they signed several players. Not only was it a direct $36.1 million savings, but dropping below the first apron gave them access to the $14.1 million mid-level exception and a $16.8 million trade exception, which they were able to use to add players.

Denver hit a home run with summer signings

This allowed Denver to sign Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., who brought championship experience, bench depth, a backup for Nikola Jokic and improved shooting. At first glance, these were solid names expected to play a certain number of minutes off the bench to rest the starters, but right now, they are proving to be key additions helping David Adelman navigate this injury-heavy stretch.

Jokic finally has a stable backup in Valanciunas, while Brown and Hardaway Jr. can replace Braun depending on the matchup and the system has elevated Peyton Watson as the ideal temporary replacement for Gordon. Over the last four games, Watson is averaging 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds on 58.9 percent shooting and 50.0 percent from beyond the arc on 6.5 attempts per game, with two double-doubles in that span.

Although Johnson looked like a perfect fit for Denver's system on paper, the start of the season showed that what looks good on paper doesn't necessarily translate that way in practice. But his arrival enabled many other positive things for Denver, while this season will definitely raise Porter Jr.'s value around the league.

But the season is still young and Johnson believes he can fight out of this career-worst slump.

"It's self-talk, on one hand, where you just have to have the confidence in yourself that you've been doing this (and) you'll get back to doing it," the 29-year-old remarked. "Unless God said I'm done shooting the basketball, then it'll come back."

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Denver now has much-needed depth at the bench

And that's exactly what the Nuggets need in this difficult stretch, because if we look at his last few games, it's likely that Johnson will regain at least part of the form he showed with the Nets.

Originally envisioned as the third option in the offense, Johnson is currently just the sixth-leading scorer on the Nuggets' roster, tied with Watson. Few could have imagined it would take him this long to fit into the system, but his arrival has given Denver a level of depth that last season's team would have struggled to survive in a similar injury situation.

Related: "Maybe he overthinks sometimes" - Nikola Jokic has Cameron Johnson's back after a horrible start with the Nuggets

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Nov 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.