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Can two underperforming swingmen benefit from a change of scenery?
This is essentially the rationale behind the latest mock trade from Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley swapping Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. for the onerous contract of former two-time NBA All-Star Zach LaVine.
Denver Nuggets receive: Zach LaVine and a 2029 first-round pick swap (top-three protected)
Chicago Bulls receive: Michael Porter Jr. and Zeke Nnaji
Porter is coming off a brutal playoff series in the Nuggets’ seven-game loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
On the other hand, LaVine dealt with injuries as his relationship with the Chicago Bulls front office and coaching staff deteriorated last season.
Zach LaVine Can Can Jolt the Nuggets Offense
Buckley views LaVine’s All-Star-caliber firepower as a major boost to the Nuggets’ aim to return to the Finals after last season’s debacle and losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, their second-best 3-point shooter and best perimeter defender, to the Orlando Magic in free agency.
“This could be the kind of jolt Denver needs to keep pace in the perpetually improving Western Conference,” Buckley wrote.
LaVine could come in and ease the offensive burden on three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and star point guard Jamal Murray as another shot-creator and shotmaker. After all, LaVine averaged 25.5 points, 4.5 assists and 3.0 three-pointers while posting on 48/39/84 shooting splits.
“An offense with Jokić, LaVine and Jamal Murray might be unstoppable,” Buckley wrote.
Buckley also views LaVine as a viable backcourt partner for Russell Westbrook in the Nugget’s second unit with his outside firepower complementing the point guard’s frenetic drives.
Brother’s Legal Woes Distracted Michael Porter Jr.
While Porter did not want his personal problems to be an excuse for his poor playoff performance, he admitted it was at the back of his mind.
“I’m not going to sit here and act like it wasn’t a burden and I wasn’t thinking about it all day every day,” Porter told reporters after their Game 7 loss to the Timberwolves. “But that’s still no excuse. I’m a better player than I played in this series. I’m a better shooter than I shot in this series. In the NBA, you have to be able to separate your off-the-court matters with your on-the-court-play.”
Two of the Nuggets star’s brothers were involved in scandals.
Jontay Porter was banned from the NBA for gambling violations and pleaded guilty to wire fraud and Coban Porter was sentenced to six years in prison for the death of a 42-year-old woman in a driving under the influence of alcohol crash last year.
Porter was hard on himself, taking the brunt of the blame for the Nuggets’ failure to defend their NBA title.
“There are a lot of things we could’ve done differently as a team,” Porter said following the Nuggets’ playoff exit. “But I know if I would’ve played my part, we would’ve won this series. And I’ve got to live with that.”
His performance in their second-round loss and their first-round win over the Los Angeles Lakers was night and day.
After punishing the Lakers with 22.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in the first round, Porter Jr. could not replicate it against the suffocating Timberwolves defense which held him to just 11.3 points and 5.4 boards.