Michael Porter Jr. could suffer for Nuggets' hesitancy in trade market

The Denver Nuggets are sixth in the Western Conference, boasting a 13-10 record. Mike Malone's team paints the picture of a fallen giant. Just two years ago, the Nuggets were viewed as a potential dynasty squad. However, poor decision-making by the front office has quickly sapped the franchise's opportunity to make history. 

The Nuggets lost a core contributor to their championship-winning squad in two consecutive offseasons. First, it was Bruce Brown Jr., and then, it was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Suddenly, the Nuggets are maxed out in terms of cap space and worse than they were during their championship run.

According to Jake Fischer, who wrote in Saturday's edition of "The Stein Line Newsletter," Denver is aware of the moves that need to be made. Due to his lofty five-year, $180M contract, Michael Porter Jr. has reportedly emerged as a potential trade chip for the Nuggets.

"Neither Jamal Murray nor Aaron Gordon is eligible to be traded until after the season following their recent contract extensions," Fischer reported. "Significant in-season change for the Nuggets, then, would likely require them to make Michael Porter Jr. available...While his statistical production is relatively solid at 18.9 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, including 51.1% shooting from the floor and 38.3% from deep, Porter is earning nearly $36 million this season and has two seasons left on his contract at nearly $80 million total."

Porter Jr. is a highly talented forward. However, he may not be a needle-mover in terms of the trade market. He's not the sort of player you build a roster around, and most contending teams don't have a rotation player making $35M-$40M per season to match salaries in a deal. 

When looking at Porter Jr's contract, it's a shining example of the poor cap management the Nuggets front office has displayed in recent years. Now, the front office must get creative in finding a way to move on from him while also upgrading its roster. 

The Nuggets are still capable of contending for another championship. They're one or two fresh faces away from being right back in the mix. Unfortunately, moving on from a $35M contract isn't easy. As such, Malone may need to brace himself for a difficult season, with the hope that the summer brings the waves of change that are so desperately needed. 

At least the Nuggets front office has realized its mistakes and is looking to put things right. The downside is it's probably left things too late to salvage this young season.