Lost in the controversy surrounding their latest acquisition, the Denver Nuggets have had a surprisingly strong off-season. They managed to upgrade their roster dramatically despite having very few assets.
They wisely traded Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson and then managed to make strong move after strong move. They signed former Nugget Bruce Brown to a minimum contract, added sharpshooting veteran Tim Hardaway Jr. on another minimum deal, and traded for Jonas Valanciunas.
Those four new additions' combined salary for next season is just $37.1 million. Compare that to Porter Jr.'s $38.7 million salary, and they not only got cheaper, but they got much deeper too.
The Nuggets' newfound depth is a massive upgrade
With a team that can rely on at least 10 players next season, the Nuggets suddenly look like contenders once again. They previously ran out of gas in the 2025 NBA playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals. However, they looked like the better team for long stretches of that series.
More depth could help Nikola Jokic and their team return to the NBA Finals. Johnson could be the perfect replacement for Porter Jr., considering he is a stellar 3-point shooter, with a career 39.2% 3-point shooting percentage.
It can be argued that Porter Jr. is the more talented player of the two, but Johnson is a more consistent player and could be a better fit playing alongside the three-time MVP. Despite playing with the Nets last season, which was actively tanking, Johnson averaged a more than respectable 18.8 points per game and shot 39% from three.
He had nowhere near the level of teammates he will have in Denver and could be in for a career season that could help propel the Nuggets back into title contention. Bringing back Brown for the minimum was also a huge get considering how well he played the last time he was with the Nuggets.
The Denver Nuggets are a true contender once again
He will provide the team with a shooter and a defender who can also play as a defacto point guard when paired with Jokic. The two had outstanding chemistry during his first stint in Denver.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is a streaky, high-volume 3-point shooter. But for the minimum, he could be a nice addition considering that the Nuggets ranked just 30th in three-point attempts and 28th in three-point makes last season.
Having someone who can come in and hopefully knock down threes at a high clip should help the Nuggets, who managed to score efficiently despite not being a prolific three-point shooting team last season. Valanciunas, despite the controversy surrounding whether he will actually suit up for the Nuggets next season, is still a viable option at backup center.
He has plenty of experience as a starter. More importantly, he is still capable enough of giving the Nuggets 15 minutes per game during the regular season and 12 minutes a game during the postseason.
That might not seem like much, but considering how the Nuggets struggled when Jokic was off the floor, having a capable backup could be huge. Having a rested Jokic is key to another deep playoff run.
All told, there's hope that the four players Denver turned Porter Jr. into make enough of a difference to transform them into true contenders once again. If that's the case, then they could be a threat to the Thunder and to making the NBA Finals.