Nuggets Bolster Lineup with Cam Johnson Trade and Bruce Brown's Return
Stealing Spotlight: The Denver Nuggets traded Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson.
On June 30th, 2025—Day 1 of NBA Free Agency the Denver Nuggets were expected to be relatively quiet, having limited cap space and a notion around the team of “running it back” for 2025-26. However, the Denver Nuggets were in fact not quiet, as at 5:06 PM MST—ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Denver Nuggets made a splash.
“BREAKING: The Denver Nuggets are trading Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson, sources tell ESPN.” — Shams Charania, ESPN
This trade sheds $17.2M off the books for the Nuggets and serves as an upgrade, as Cam Johnson fits like a glove right into Denver’s lineup. Coming off of a year where he averaged 18.8 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.7 APG on 47.5 FG% and 39 3P%—Johnson was an attractive name on the trade market. Trading the newly unlocked 2032 first-round pick is a hefty price for Denver, but as they remain all in to compete in Nikola Jokic’s prime, it’s a worthy price.
Michael Porter Jr. was a critical piece on Denver’s 2023 championship team, but as he said in November, "If we don't win it this year. We all know they might have to break it up." — and they did just that.
As the Western Conference kept getting better as a whole, Denver knew they had to step up and make a big move of their own, and that they did. Cameron Johnson is a huge get for the Denver Nuggets.
However Cam Johnson wasn’t the only move the Nuggets made today, shortly after Shams posted the Nuggets-Nets trade—at 5:16 PM MST he reported a key signing for the Nuggets.
“Free agent Bruce Brown Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal with the Denver Nuggets, sources tell ESPN. The 2023 NBA champion for the Nuggets returns to Denver. CAA's Ty Sullivan and Steven Heumann finalized the deal tonight with the Nuggets.” — ESPN’s Shams Charania
Bruce Brown had made his intentions to return to the Nuggets public for awhile, but the part I didn’t expect is him taking a veteran minimum deal to sign with the Nuggets, as Sam Amick reported. Bruce Brown takes a team friendly deal to return to Denver, where he was a huge piece to the 2023 championship roster as the 6th man, the role he’ll be in again. Bruce Brown is a natural bench leader, and one that I would’ve easily given the TP-MLE—but he showed loyalty, and the willingness to be in Denver when he took a pay-cut—all the way to a veteran minimum deal to return.
Don’t be fooled, the Nuggets aren’t done making moves. With shedding a lot of salary from the Cam Johnson—Michael Porter Jr. trade and Bruce Brown taking a pay-cut to sign, the Nuggets can still add to the bench—a critical need after being eliminated by OKC mostly due in part to poor depth.
Michael Scotto, a senior NBA Insider with HoopsHype just reported that Boston Celtics veteran Center Al Horford has received interest from multiple teams, one being the Nuggets—a potential move I’ll be keeping my eye on.
Horford would be a huge add for Denver, as he’d fill the biggest current need on the roster, which is backup center play. As for now, we continue to monitor what the Nuggets will do this offseason and celebrate the Tenzer-Wallace front office with their first batch of moves coming today, and helping the Nuggets re-establish themselves as legitimate contenders.