DDD-Sports > Basketball > 2 for 1! Goodbye the Nuggets! Another epic deal in the NBA is born, how can other teams play

2 for 1! Goodbye the Nuggets! Another epic deal in the NBA is born, how can other teams play

As we all know, since sweeping the entire league in 2022-23, the Nuggets have never broken through the division semi-finals in the following two seasons. Although the lineup only sacrificed one outside defense point in the championship season compared to Pope's championship, they also signed former MVP defender Westbrook last season.

However, the Nuggets' running-in at the beginning of the season was not ideal, and even made an embarrassing defeat after Jokic's quit, with a record diving to the bottom of the West. If Jokic hadn't come back from the front line and carried the team forward, it would be unknown whether the Nuggets could get the playoff tickets in the Wild West. In fact, seeing this, I believe Nuggets fans know that the Nuggets' strength in the championship season is indeed far behind the league, but the Nuggets are already declining now. Their basic winning base is Jokic, and Murray will only occasionally explode when playing against the Los Angeles team. As for the former three-in-command Porter, he was almost completely lost this season.

In order not to waste Jokic's peak, the Nuggets management decisively promoted the transaction this summer, using Porter Jr. + the first round pick in 2032 to exchange Johnson from the Nets. Once the transaction was completed, it caused a sensation across the network. After all, Johnson, 29, averaged 19 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game at the Nets last season, and his three-point shooting percentage was as high as 39%. Since the offseason started, there have been rumors that the Lakers and Warriors and other teams are going to grab Johnson, but they did not expect that the Nuggets will finally complete the transaction first.

Seeing Porter's departure and fighting side by side for many years, he ended up saying goodbye to the Nuggets and saying goodbye to Jokic. As a fan, Jiuqi really couldn't bear it. After all, the scene of the former being injured in the playoffs this year was still vivid in my mind. But if it weren't for Gordon's magical finale, Porter Jr. would have become a breakthrough for the team to lose. His performance was really bad. Even Jokic, who had always been good, was completely angered by Porter's sleepwalking performance on the court, ignoring the face of his teammates. After the game, he publicly stated that if he was not in shape, he would just not play!

Perhaps, from the moment Jokic publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Porter Jr., the deal was doomed. Because as Porter Jr. said at the beginning of the season, this year is the last window for the Nuggets to win the championship. If they fail to win the championship, they will be demolished. Indeed, Denver in the small ball market is no longer able to afford the maximum salary contracts of Jokic, Murray and Porter Jr. Johnson's joining can not only perfectly replace Porter Jr., but more importantly, the latter's annual salary next season is as high as $38 million, while Johnson only has $20.5 million, saving nearly $20 million, which is enough for the Nuggets to continue to strengthen recruiting troops.

In other words, the Nuggets only posted a first-round pick in this 2-for-1 transaction, which completed the upgrade of the lineup and saved a lot of money. This operation is really a big deal. At the same time, for Jokic, he finally has a more reliable teammate around him, and he can also regain his form in the championship season. How can other teams play? The league teams in the new season not only have to deal with the defending champion Thunder, but also be careful of the Rockets who are crazy to strengthen, and even face the Nuggets who are not inferior to the 23-year-old Nuggets. This is too difficult.