Nuggets would regret trading Michael Porter Jr.

The Denver Nuggets are reportedly star-hunting ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, with the likes of Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram and Zach LaVine earmarked as potential targets. 

On the surface, it's a sound strategy to pair Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray with a third star, considering the might of the Western Conference. However, the cost of attaining such a player would mean the Nuggets would be parting with Michael Porter Jr., their best shooter who is having close to a career year (18.5 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game) and has grown leaps and bounds as a defender. 

Porter Jr. is not the perfect player by any stretch — his streaky shooting and defensive lapses were evident when Denver lost to Minnesota in last year's conference semifinals. Yet, he is the ideal complimentary player in a Nuggets offense built around the two-man game of Jokic and Murray. That's precisely why Aaron Gordon — a master at cutting to the rim — is such a good fit in Denver, because he, too, is adept at playing off the ball and allowing Jokic and Murray to do their thing.

Butler or Ingram would be an upgrade over MPJ due to their ability to break down defenses and create offense. However, it's a risky experiment a quarter of the way into the season and could severely backfire on the Nuggets. For one, they will take away touches from Jokic and Murray and could force Nuggets coach Michael Malone to change the tried-and-tested playbook that resulted in a title just two years ago.

Furthermore, neither Butler nor Ingram has much experience playing off the ball, coming off screens or dribble-handoffs — skills that Porter Jr. is one of the best at. This season, for example, MPJ averages 5.3 points off catch-and-shoot tries, while Butler averages only 1.6 points off such actions. To that end, MPJ has attempted 235 jump shots thus far, while Butler has attempted only 94 jumpers. 

The most telling numbers are the ratio of assisted to non-assisted baskets. MPJ has made 145 baskets off assists (only 29 unassisted) compared to Butler's 61 and Ingram's 81. The latter two players create most of their own offense and rarely feed off another playmaker on the floor. It's almost guaranteed that they will take away touches from Jokic or Murray. 

Lastly, Porter Jr., 26, is still scratching the surface of his prime and has the tools to turn into a quality three-way scorer. According to The Athletic, the Nuggets discussed a contract extension with Porter this offseason but didn't commit as they view him as their top trade asset. They need to lock up the sharpshooter for the long haul, given his chemistry with Jokic and Murray. He is almost irreplaceable due to the skills he brings.