Golden State Warriors: 5 Trades worth a first round NBA Draft pick
By Tony Pesta
Golden State Warriors trade targets: Michael Porter Jr.
It’s quite confusing when you attempt to decipher why the Denver Nuggets are struggling so much this season. Coming off an inspiring Western Conference Finals run and watching Nikola Jokic emerge as a true MVP candidate feels like it should make you one of the best teams in the NBA, right?
Well, even with Jokic going nuclear in the first months of the season, the Nuggets hold a 15-13 record and are eighth in the West. It’s been hard to pinpoint where exactly they are going wrong – but one potential solution would be to trade Michael Porter Jr. and mix up this roster.
Porter is listed as the third most valuable potential trade asset by ESPN and is rumored to be on the market. While it may be a panic move from Denver to trade the young star before he even appears in 100 career games, it’s possible they cave into the pressure and look to trade him before things get ugly. After all, he doesn’t seem happy in Denver and will be a restricted free agent by 2022.
The Golden State Warriors wouldn’t be the only team gunning for Porter. However, they do have the assets needed to acquire him. Slotting Porter into this lineup next to the Splash Brothers would create a deadly trio of scoring. Porter is a three-level scorer averaging 13.7 points on near 50 percent shooting. And, he’s only 22 years old.
A few things holding him back include poor shot selection and weak defense – two things the Dubs should have no issue helping him polish. This move makes too much sense for the Warriors but it will be difficult for them to compete with other teams also looking to trade for MPJ.