The Denver Nuggets lost starting shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency this summer. Caldwell-Pope was a key piece to Denver’s success during his time there, serving as a reliable three-point shooter on offense while often taking the toughest assignments on defense.
Not replacing this s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁set either via free agency or trade, Denver has been criticized for their approach to this transaction period, but they still remain one of the biggest threats in the Western Conference.
Upgrading their point guard rotation by trading Reggie Jackson and signing Russell Westbrook, Denver did make a solid move in that department, but still may need one more swing.
In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley proposed a hypothetical trade idea that sends New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram to Denver.
Nuggets receive: Brandon Ingram
Pelicans receive: Michael Porter Jr., Zeke Nnaji, and a 2031 first-round pick (top-five protected)
This is not the first time Porter Jr. has been placed in a hypothetical trade scenario this offseason, as his $35.9M salary for next season would likely be needed in any major trade for Denver.
Ingram is entering the final year of his five-year, $158M deal while Porter is entering the third year of his five-year, $179M deal.
Ingram’s scoring would be an upgrade over Porter’s, but he is not the three-point shooter Denver’s current starting small forward is.
