Inside The Nuggets

Denver Nuggets NBA Champion Floated as Possible Lakers Trade Target

The Los Angeles Lakers may need to make some trades.
Joey Linn|
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) reacts with guard Jamal Murray (27) ahead of forward Aaron Gordon (50) against the New York Knicks at Ball Arena.
Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) reacts with guard Jamal Murray (27) ahead of forward Aaron Gordon (50) against the New York Knicks at Ball Arena. | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

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Denver NuggetsLos Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers expect to contend for an NBA championship as long as LeBron James and Anthony Davis are healthy and on the roster. While that is the expectation, the Lakers fell to the Denver Nuggets in the opening round of last year’s playoffs which highlighted their need for roster changes.

As they enter the 2024-25 NBA season, the Lakers did not add another star-level player like many thought they would. This will make trade rumors even stronger throughout the season, especially if the Lakers struggle.

In a recent article, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes proposed three top trade targets for every team, naming Denver Nuggets champion Michael Porter Jr. as a potential option for the Lakers.

LeBron James and Michael Porter Jr.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Denver Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) at Crypto.com Arena. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Via Hughes: “Another pricey shooter, MPJ comes at about a $7 million discount in 2024-25 salary compared to LaVine but also has another two costly years left on his deal. Porter Jr., like LaVine, comes with major health concerns. But he played 81 games in 2023-24, is a better shooter (career 41.0 percent from beyond the arc) and uses his 6'10" size to provide more defensive help than the Bulls guard.”

Porter has had some big performances against the Lakers in recent years, so they are very familiar with what he is capable of.

Denver has not given any indication they are looking to move Porter, but the Lakers would be an interesting landing spot if he were to become available.

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA and WNBA for On SI. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined On SI to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts and in the classroom earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time, primarily serving as a Clippers beat writer.

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