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It’s a longshot, but hey, anything’s possible in the world of speculative NBA trades. And at Bleacher Report, they’ve got an interested doozy of a deal proposed between the Nuggets and Jazz, one that brings a temporary flicker of cap relief while also upgrading the Denver starting five for the possibility of another championship run.
The Nuggets, no doubt, are at a standstill, roster-wise. If their players all opt in, the Nuggets are looking at a payroll of nearly $200 million.
That is well over the projected $171 million luxury tax, and puts them in danger of being over the dreaded so-called second apron. If there’s a way out of their financial morass, especially with a Jamal Murray extension looming, it would be to deal away 3-point ace forward Michael Porter Jr.
That’s what B/R proposes, except with a twist. Rather than downgrading from MPJ to a cheaper alternative, the Nuggets could make a major swap with the Jazz for a player who is currently cheaper—and better—than Porter. That would be Lauri Markkanen of the Jazz.
Nuggets Trade Would Be a Steal
Here’s the potential swap for the Nuggets and Jazz, one which the author, Grant Hughes, concedes has a flaw.
Denver Nuggets Receive: Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz
Utah Jazz Receive: 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
The flaw there is that the Jazz figure to play hardball with Markkanen, a player who was an All-Star in 2022-23 with 25.6 points and 8.6 rebounds, and backed that up with 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds last season. The big selling point on Markkanen: He shot 39.1% from the 3-point line in 2022-23 and 39.9% last year.
Porter Jr., a late pick in a weak draft, three second-rounders and pick swaps with a team that figures to be built around Murray and Jokic for the foreseeable future is not a great package.
Hughes wrote that financial and health concerns on both players are prominent: “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.”
Lauri Markkanen Up for Expensive Extension
Markkanen is currently on the books for $18 million in 2024-25, and will be a free agent after that. He is eligible for an extension, and could have the final year of his deal increased and wrapped into a new contract.
One league exec told Heavy Sports that it is unlikely the Jazz will max out Markkanen, and said a new deal for him would amount to “a little less than (Domantas) Sabonis,” who got four years and $187 million in new money a year ago. Four years and $175 million, the exec said, was a good projection.
The Nuggets could wait on the new deal, though, and have Markkanen play out his current contract before re-upping. That would help the team dodge its current financial problems, and at least put them off for a year.
Still, the expectation is that the Jazz will try to re-sign Markkanen. A trade could be tempting, but a package built around Porter Jr. and a trough of unappealing picks is not going to get a deal done.
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