Was Michael Porter Jr. Trade a Smart Move or Setback for the Brooklyn Nets?

For whatever reason, there's been tons of discourse lately surrounding the Brooklyn Nets' swap of Cam Johnson for Michael Porter Jr. last week. In the deal, Brooklyn takes on the remaining two years of Porter's contract—carrying cap hits of $38.3 million this season and $40.8 million next—while gaining a 2032 unprotected first-rounder in exchange for Johnson.

So, why exactly are media members claiming the Nets got completely fleeced?

Brooklyn had been seeking multiple first-rounders for Johnson dating as far back as last summer, but held onto him until it felt it no longer could. But, even though Johnson won't be a Net next season, Porter can absolutely replicate hs production.

Just look both players' 2024-25 stats. They're nearly identical.

Plus, instead of fetching two future firsts, Brooklyn gambles on Denver's title-contending roster falling apart over the next seven years. Given the ages of the Nuggets' current core, it's fair to assume that the likes of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray won't be competing in the NBA Finals at ages 37 and 35. So, that pick has a pretty good chance of ranking in the top half of the 2032 Draft.

Maybe the doubters think Porter's contract outweighs his on-court abilities. Even if that was the case, Brooklyn is essentially the only (current) team with actual cap space. Once the Washington Wizards' veteran deals expire, they'll be right next to the Nets, but for now, Brooklyn is the salary cap king.

So the compensation is fair, and the only drawback isn't really a drawback. But one positive of the trade isn't getting talked about nearly enough.

Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez has already coached Porter for four years. Fernandez served on the Nuggets' coaching staff from 2018-22, and is more than familiar with Porter's strengths and weaknesses.

Combine that fact with Fernandez's unparalleled ability to develop talent, and you've got a near-perfect player-coach pairing.

NBA fans will have to wait until the regular season begins to truly analyze the trade, but those declaring that Denver took full advantage of Brooklyn may want to look at the deal from a broader lens. It may help clear things up.