Nuggets rejecting Cam Johnson trade offers raises eyebrows

The Denver Nuggets were left with a lot of questions coming out of the season after losing in the first round of the playoffs against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite all of the working theories about what should happen with the roster before next season, it had become clear that a change was likely in the works.

Now, that may not be the case. While players such as Cam Johnson, Christian Braun and Aaron Gordon were potentially on the trading block, the Nuggets are now trying to hold onto Johnson according to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer.

“We’re told that the Nuggets have rebuffed several trade offers from teams attempting to pry away Cam Johnson,” Stein and Fischer wrote. “Some rival teams projected the Nuggets to prioritize trying to trade Braun in the wake of a first-round exit, but the timing was clearly suboptimal given Braun’s injuries last season and the fact that his five-year deal is only just beginning in 2026-27.”

Johnson had an up-and-down debut season in the Mile High City after being traded there from the Brooklyn Nets. His year was fragmented by a knee injury that he picked up midseason, but he was still a key piece for the Nuggets as a shooter and a solid defender on the wing.

Of course, there still is a world where the Nuggets try to make a trade involving Braun, who was extremely disappointing in 2025-26 after receiving a five-year, $125 million contract extension. He suffered an ankle injury at the beginning of the year and never looked like himself, making him a popular potential trade candidate.

Gordon could also be dealt after becoming fairly injury-prone over the years. While he is a key piece of the Nuggets’ lineup with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and has been an integral piece of their success in recent years, However, he has not been able to be at his best in the playoffs, which could make him an expendable piece.

Regardless of the result, Denver will be one of the most interesting teams to watch over the course of this offseason.