The first round of back-off sale! Nuggets 2 for 1, and Denver luxury home became a big deal?

The Nuggets sent Michael Porter Jr. to the Nets for Cameron Johnson's operation, but it was like a carefully choreographed black comedy. As soon as the deal was announced, Porter Jr. happily revealed that he and Johnson, the "good brothers", were already discussing swap apartments. Porter Jr. intends to move into Johnson's house in Brooklyn, and Johnson may move into his $4.53 million Denver luxury apartment.

Think about Lillard renting Holiday's house after joining the Bucks, Durant lives in Dinwiddie's mansion, or Nance Jr. and Josh Hart swap real estate. The way the stars deal with off-site real estate is even more "down-to-earth" than the transaction itself.

But don't distract these gossip anecdotes. The core question of this 2-for-1 deal is why the Nuggets are willing to pay a 2032 unprotected first-round pick to exchange for Johnson? How much helplessness and calculations are hidden behind it?

The Nuggets packed Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick (completely unprotected) to the Nets, and only exchanged for Cameron Johnson. On the surface, the Nuggets suffered a huge loss. Porter Jr.'s salary is as high as $38.3 million next season, while the total salary of the four newly introduced players (Johnson, Valanciunas, Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Brown) is only 37 million. The details of the contract are even more eye-catching. Porter Jr. has two years and two years and $79.14 million left (173 million signed in 2021), while Johnson has two years and two years and four million left. Why do the Nuggets pay back? To put it bluntly, Porter's premium contract has become a burden. In this year's playoffs, he averaged only 9.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, with a terrible shooting percentage (39.2% shooting, 34.3% three-pointers), directly halved from the regular season 18.2 points. In contrast, Johnson averaged 18.5 points per game in the last playoffs (2023), with a shooting percentage of over 50%, and a three-point shooting score of 42.9%;

averages 18.8 points per game in the regular season last season, with a shooting percentage of 47.5%/39%/89.3% in three events, and a stability crushing Porter Jr. Porter Jr.'s high salary and inefficiency make the Nuggets feel uncomfortable during Jokic's peak period. If you don't get rid of it, you may really turn the table and leave. The interesting news about house swaps adds human touch to this cold transaction. Porter Jr. bought the Denver apartment in 2019 for 4.53 million yuan, which overlooks the city and the Rockies, and is definitely a top-notch configuration. Although Johnson's house in Brooklyn has no details, it is close to the Nets' training hall, making it easier for the new owner to run in.

Swap houses to exchange can save effort, trust each other, and save rent in unfamiliar cities. But this behind-the-scenes cannot cover up the essence of the transaction. The Nuggets "cut their losses" due to salary pressure, while the Nets accept the gift with a smile.

So, who made the profit of this transaction? From a pure basketball perspective, the Nuggets are not a complete loser. Get rid of Porter Jr.'s 79.14 million yuan burden in exchange for Johnson's cost-effective contract, which can release salary space to strengthen the lineup (such as renewing Murray or signing free agents).

Johnson's offense and defense efficiency is more suitable for the Nuggets system - his off-ball run and three-point firepower can relieve the pressure of Jokic being double-teamed. On the other hand, the Nets won the game on the surface, cleared Porter's big contract, and picked up a 2032 first-round pick without protection, with a lot of bargaining chips in the future.

Overall, the Nets make more money in the short term, after all, the first round pick is priceless during the reconstruction period; the Nuggets bet on "real-time combat power", and success or failure depends on whether Johnson can fulfill the data.

Ultimately, the salary cap, player status, and team culture are intertwined into a complex network. The Nuggets' first round of operation is to survive, but if Johnson is not adapted to the local conditions, the unprotected signing in 2032 may have a huge loss. This is the sound of basketball, thank you for your likes and attention.