Michael Porter Jr possibly available for trade if Nuggets get swept...

[bstein14]

I think the Nuggets will consider looking to move on from MPJ this summer if they lose their next two games. MPJ has three years left on his deal at $36, $38.3, and $40.8 million.

The Nuggets are deep into the luxury tax and I think KCP is a more important player for them to retain...and KCP will get some decent offers this summer. If they get rid of MPJ's salary they can essentially get a player back in a trade for him, keep KCP, and then go out and add another solid player with the MLE.

That said would you be willing to do any of these MPJ trades? He does have some serious injury history but was mostly healthy this past season playing in 81 games which was the most games played in his career (previous record 62).

Trade #1. Michael Porter Jr for a 2nd round pick (essentially purely absorb him into cap space for nothing).

Trade #2. Michael Porter Jr + Two future 2nd round picks for Stewart (We essentially use up $21 million of cap space for this trade)

Trade #3. Michael Porter Jr + Pick #28 in this draft for Jaden Ivey (We essentially use up $28 million in cap space on this trade).

[theBigLip]

That’s a huge contract to absorb. 3 years, $100M. Even if we do trade #1 is there anyone else better that we could get for that?

[theBigLip]

Only $12,000,000 guaranteed in 2026/27, HoopsHype has learned. Guarantee will increase to $17,000,000 if during one of any of the 2021/22 through 2025/26 seasons he is selected as an NBA All-Star, and will increase to full if his team has not requested waivers on him on or before 48 hours prior to the start of the 2026/27 moratorium period; during two of any of the 2021/22 through 2025/26 seasons he is selected as an NBA All-Star; during one of any of the 2021-22 through 2025-26 seasons he is named MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or named to any of the All-NBA or All-Defensive Teams; or his team wins an NBA championship and he achieves various games played requirements.

[Kalamazoo317]

I'd do #1 just on the value proposition and would consider #3 for the same reason.

[GreekAlex]

His back still scares me. It’s like a volcano waiting to erupt.

I’d only gamble on him if all else fails.

If he came he and got injured again, it would be a huge blow.

[Snakebites]

Honestly all of these possible trade options depress me.

Being a Piston fan depresses me.

[JennetteMcCurdy]

Trade #2 would make me the happiest person on this board. I wouldn’t even mind if Troy followed it up with Simmons for cash considerations

[bstein14]

That’s a huge contract to absorb. 3 years, $100M. Even if we do trade #1 is there anyone else better that we could get for that?

Yup, we took on Blake when he had a huge contract and 4.5 years remaining on it and he was older with injury issues.

MPJ could actually surprise some people and look great as a 1A/1B with Cade or he could go the other way and really miss Jokic's all-time great passing and really drop off in efficiency in Detroit. Not sure how he would end up looking for us.

[joedumars1]

I’d be excited to get him, but him and cade bring us to what 30-40 wins? 45-50 max? I think we can jump to 30-40 just if cade stays healthy and whoever we get at #1 overall isn’t a nothing impact guy and whoever minor guys we add with the development from duren, ausar, Ivey and Sasser. Yeah sounds crazy, but cade health is the big part imo.

[GreekAlex]

I’d be excited to get him, but him and cade bring us to what 30-40 wins? 45-50 max? I think we can jump to 30-40 just if cade stays healthy and whoever we get at #1 overall isn’t a nothing impact guy and whoever minor guys we add with the development from duren, ausar, Ivey and Sasser. Yeah sounds crazy, but cade health is the big part imo.

The hope would be that Cade is a #1, MPJ is a healthy #3 and the draft pick or a trade resulting from the pick develops into a #2.

Cade/ Ivey
Monk/ Sasser
Mikal Bridges / Ausar
MPJ/ Fontecchio
Duren / Stew

What’s the ceiling in that roster?

[Kalamazoo317]

That’s a bad defensive team even with getting Bridges for a steal (based on who’s left). A ton more offensive talent, though. Would need to gel, get internal improvement, better coaching, and injury luck, but play-in would be a reasonable expectation for the talent level there, imo, with a probable ceiling of the sixth seed?

[GreekAlex]

That’s a bad defensive team even with getting Bridges for a steal (based on who’s left). A ton more offensive talent, though. Would need to gel, get internal improvement, better coaching, and injury luck, but play-in would be a reasonable expectation for the talent level there, imo, with a probable ceiling of the sixth seed?

4 games separated the 2 though 8 seeds with between 50-46 games won. I could see that group in that category with room to grow.

Internal development, future picks & trades will determine if the group can ever truly contend.

[bstein14]

The salary cap is only projected at $142 range this upcoming season, but after that there will be new TV money and it will go up 10% every year for a while so....

24-25: $142 million ($36 MPJ)
25-26: $156 million ($38 MPJ) ($39 Cade's 1st year of Max), Stew at $15, Ivey $10, Ausar $9, Duren $6, Front (Estimate $13?)
27-27: $172 million ($40 MPJ) ($42 Cade's 2nd year of Max)

If healthy and scoring an efficient 22-25 points a night those huge contract numbers look like less of a burden with those 10% cap increases each year after this summer.

Obviously taking on Porter Jr likely means we only get to add one other main FA signing (like a Monk, Tyus, etc)

With the new TV Money Cade's 5 year max is pretty much set
$39 $42 $45 $48 $51
Total 5 years $225 million (unless he makes an all-nba team this year then it goes much higher starting at 30% of cap instead of 25%)

[Mr Peanut]

I'd trade for him in a heartbeat. He's only 25 so fits the timeline of our team, has just come off a healthy season, shoots 40% from 3 on good volume. Was a key piece on a championship team only a year ago and brings playoff/championship experience to our squad.

His salary is pricey but who else do people expect we're going to be able to lure to Detroit and use our cap space on?

[joedumars1]

I’d be excited to get him, but him and cade bring us to what 30-40 wins? 45-50 max? I think we can jump to 30-40 just if cade stays healthy and whoever we get at #1 overall isn’t a nothing impact guy and whoever minor guys we add with the development from duren, ausar, Ivey and Sasser. Yeah sounds crazy, but cade health is the big part imo.

The hope would be that Cade is a #1, MPJ is a healthy #3 and the draft pick or a trade resulting from the pick develops into a #2.

Cade/ Ivey
Monk/ Sasser
Mikal Bridges / Ausar
MPJ/ Fontecchio
Duren / Stew

What’s the ceiling in that roster?

If everything went well probably 3-4 seed. I wouldn’t mind a shot like that, but unlikely to get 3 moves like that in one year

[BDM22]

I’d be excited to get him, but him and cade bring us to what 30-40 wins? 45-50 max? I think we can jump to 30-40 just if cade stays healthy and whoever we get at #1 overall isn’t a nothing impact guy and whoever minor guys we add with the development from duren, ausar, Ivey and Sasser. Yeah sounds crazy, but cade health is the big part imo.

The hope would be that Cade is a #1, MPJ is a healthy #3 and the draft pick or a trade resulting from the pick develops into a #2.

Cade/ Ivey
Monk/ Sasser
Mikal Bridges / Ausar
MPJ/ Fontecchio
Duren / Stew

What’s the ceiling in that roster?

If everything went well probably 3-4 seed. I wouldn’t mind a shot like that, but unlikely to get 3 moves like that in one year

Especially since we seem to be giving up basically nothing for Mikal (the 1st and that's it?). So absorbing his $23M+. Also absorbing MPJ's $36M next year for nothing it seems. That's the $60M in cap already gone, but somehow we're still getting Monk in free agency whom I assume will get like $25M per year to come to a team like Detroit.

And yeah, that starting lineup is pretty brutal defensively. 4-of-5 players are solidly negative defenders and Mikal hasn't been great on that end since he took more offensive load in Brooklyn.

Watching the teams in the playoffs this year puts me firmly in the camp of not pairing Cade with another poor defender like Monk. If you replace Ivey they have to be a step up on that end of the floor as well as being a shooter. Otherwise there's no point. Can't be poor at defending the perimeter and poor inside.

Maybe you could skip signing Monk and put Mikal at the SG and Ausar at SF for that fully switchable 1-2-3, even if it costs some shooting. (I would just assume that Ivey and Stew or Duren would be gone in a deal for Mikal as well).

Actually Cade / Mikal / Ausar / MPJ / Stew is kinda intriguing. Decent to good shooting at 4-of-5 spots. Mikal, Ausar, Stew would be a tough core of defenders. Ausar and Mikal could give you that one-two punch of perimeter defenders like Minny has with ANT and McDaniels if Mikal gets back to form. Ausar and Stew basically switch traditional roles on offense with Ausar playing more of the roll man with Stew as the spot up guy to offset each-other's weaknesses some (until you can find an upgrade at C that can still shoot and defend to bring Stew off the bench).

[bstein14]

The hope would be that Cade is a #1, MPJ is a healthy #3 and the draft pick or a trade resulting from the pick develops into a #2.

Cade/ Ivey
Monk/ Sasser
Mikal Bridges / Ausar
MPJ/ Fontecchio
Duren / Stew

What’s the ceiling in that roster?

If everything went well probably 3-4 seed. I wouldn’t mind a shot like that, but unlikely to get 3 moves like that in one year

Especially since we seem to be giving up basically nothing for Mikal (the 1st and that's it?). So absorbing his $23M+. Also absorbing MPJ's $36M next year for nothing it seems. That's the $60M in cap already gone, but somehow we're still getting Monk in free agency whom I assume will get like $25M per year to come to a team like Detroit.

And yeah, that starting lineup is pretty brutal defensively. 4-of-5 players are solidly negative defenders and Mikal hasn't been great on that end since he took more offensive load in Brooklyn.

Watching the teams in the playoffs this year puts me firmly in the camp of not pairing Cade with another poor defender like Monk. If you replace Ivey they have to be a step up on that end of the floor as well as being a shooter. Otherwise there's no point. Can't be poor at defending the perimeter and poor inside.

Maybe you could skip signing Monk and put Mikal at the SG and Ausar at SF for that fully switchable 1-2-3, even if it costs some shooting. (I would just assume that Ivey and Stew or Duren would be gone in a deal for Mikal as well).

Actually Cade / Mikal / Ausar / MPJ / Stew is kinda intriguing. Decent to good shooting at 4-of-5 spots. Mikal, Ausar, Stew would be a tough core of defenders. Ausar and Mikal could give you that one-two punch of perimeter defenders like Minny has with ANT and McDaniels if Mikal gets back to form. Ausar and Stew basically switch traditional roles on offense with Ausar playing more of the roll man with Stew as the spot up guy to offset each-other's weaknesses some (until you can find an upgrade at C that can still shoot and defend to bring Stew off the bench).

To make it more feasible, we'd simply trade the #1 pick plus Ivey($8 mil)

MPJ $36
Bridges $23
Stew $15
Cade $14
Thompson $8
Duren $5
Grimes $4
Sasser $3
Font Hold $6
Wiseman $3
Umude $2
Monk $20
Total 12 guys $140 million we still have the room exception to get one more player for $9 million a year for two years as well.

[Invictus88]

3 back surgeries by the age of 25. Your back doesn't really heal itself btw. Scary stuff..

[BDM22]

If everything went well probably 3-4 seed. I wouldn’t mind a shot like that, but unlikely to get 3 moves like that in one year

Especially since we seem to be giving up basically nothing for Mikal (the 1st and that's it?). So absorbing his $23M+. Also absorbing MPJ's $36M next year for nothing it seems. That's the $60M in cap already gone, but somehow we're still getting Monk in free agency whom I assume will get like $25M per year to come to a team like Detroit.

And yeah, that starting lineup is pretty brutal defensively. 4-of-5 players are solidly negative defenders and Mikal hasn't been great on that end since he took more offensive load in Brooklyn.

Watching the teams in the playoffs this year puts me firmly in the camp of not pairing Cade with another poor defender like Monk. If you replace Ivey they have to be a step up on that end of the floor as well as being a shooter. Otherwise there's no point. Can't be poor at defending the perimeter and poor inside.

Maybe you could skip signing Monk and put Mikal at the SG and Ausar at SF for that fully switchable 1-2-3, even if it costs some shooting. (I would just assume that Ivey and Stew or Duren would be gone in a deal for Mikal as well).

Actually Cade / Mikal / Ausar / MPJ / Stew is kinda intriguing. Decent to good shooting at 4-of-5 spots. Mikal, Ausar, Stew would be a tough core of defenders. Ausar and Mikal could give you that one-two punch of perimeter defenders like Minny has with ANT and McDaniels if Mikal gets back to form. Ausar and Stew basically switch traditional roles on offense with Ausar playing more of the roll man with Stew as the spot up guy to offset each-other's weaknesses some (until you can find an upgrade at C that can still shoot and defend to bring Stew off the bench).

To make it more feasible, we'd simply trade the #1 pick plus Ivey($8 mil)

MPJ $36
Bridges $23
Stew $15
Cade $14
Thompson $8
Duren $5
Grimes $4
Sasser $3
Font Hold $6
Wiseman $3
Umude $2
Monk $20
Total 12 guys $140 million we still have the room exception to get one more player for $9 million a year for two years as well.

I think if we offer Monk $20M per year, he'll just go back to Sac who can offer $78/4, which is basically that. I also imagine we'll be bidding against teams like Orlando and maybe Philly, which are all far more attractive options. That's why I think $25M per year for 4 years is the floor of what he'd start considering from us. It's gonna have to be a bad contract for us to get him.

That's why I'm leaning against Monk. He's a very bad defender and this past year he shot the same as what Ivey did from three after Ivey became a starter (35%), just without the upside. I get the rationale if we're trading Ivey (don't see him as a notable upgrade), but I still think it's gonna be tough to pair Cade with another terrible defender, especially one that you can't just hope gets better with time as Monk is what he is. We're gonna have to pay him upper tier starter money when he's really a 6th man, and I'm not sure what kind of trade value he'd have on that deal.

Admittedly, I can't think of anyone that is a better option as a free agent in this scenario. Would probably have to be a draft/trade.

[bstein14]

Especially since we seem to be giving up basically nothing for Mikal (the 1st and that's it?). So absorbing his $23M+. Also absorbing MPJ's $36M next year for nothing it seems. That's the $60M in cap already gone, but somehow we're still getting Monk in free agency whom I assume will get like $25M per year to come to a team like Detroit.

And yeah, that starting lineup is pretty brutal defensively. 4-of-5 players are solidly negative defenders and Mikal hasn't been great on that end since he took more offensive load in Brooklyn.

Watching the teams in the playoffs this year puts me firmly in the camp of not pairing Cade with another poor defender like Monk. If you replace Ivey they have to be a step up on that end of the floor as well as being a shooter. Otherwise there's no point. Can't be poor at defending the perimeter and poor inside.

Maybe you could skip signing Monk and put Mikal at the SG and Ausar at SF for that fully switchable 1-2-3, even if it costs some shooting. (I would just assume that Ivey and Stew or Duren would be gone in a deal for Mikal as well).

Actually Cade / Mikal / Ausar / MPJ / Stew is kinda intriguing. Decent to good shooting at 4-of-5 spots. Mikal, Ausar, Stew would be a tough core of defenders. Ausar and Mikal could give you that one-two punch of perimeter defenders like Minny has with ANT and McDaniels if Mikal gets back to form. Ausar and Stew basically switch traditional roles on offense with Ausar playing more of the roll man with Stew as the spot up guy to offset each-other's weaknesses some (until you can find an upgrade at C that can still shoot and defend to bring Stew off the bench).

To make it more feasible, we'd simply trade the #1 pick plus Ivey($8 mil)

MPJ $36
Bridges $23
Stew $15
Cade $14
Thompson $8
Duren $5
Grimes $4
Sasser $3
Font Hold $6
Wiseman $3
Umude $2
Monk $20
Total 12 guys $140 million we still have the room exception to get one more player for $9 million a year for two years as well.

I think if we offer Monk $20M per year, he'll just go back to Sac who can offer $78/4, which is basically that. I also imagine we'll be bidding against teams like Orlando and maybe Philly, which are all far more attractive options. That's why I think $25M per year for 4 years is the floor of what he'd start considering from us. It's gonna have to be a bad contract for us to get him.

That's why I'm leaning against Monk. He's a very bad defender and this past year he shot the same as what Ivey did from three after Ivey became a starter (35%), just without the upside. I get the rationale if we're trading Ivey (don't see him as a notable upgrade), but I still think it's gonna be tough to pair Cade with another terrible defender, especially one that you can't just hope gets better with time as Monk is what he is.

$20 $21 $22 $23 Four years $86 million for Monk and we could also give him the fourth year player option. That said, we could increase what we could offer to Monk slightly as well it wouldn't be hard to get to $22 or $23 million starting and get him close to $95 million range over four years. I like him at about $21 to $22 million per but $25 million per feels a bit more risky.