- The Denver Nuggets won their lone NBA title in 2023, and are trying to remain in contention, powered by three-time MVP Nikola Jokić.
- The Nuggets have been busy in the early days of free agency, getting rid of Michael Porter Jr. and replacing him with Cam Johnson, among other considerable moves.
- As a result, the Nuggets’ NBA championship odds have improved drastically.
The Nuggets odds to win the NBA title next season have skyrocketed from +1600 to +650 after the team made multiple big moves early in free agency.
The team has struggled to get Nikola Jokic enough help after the 2023 title, leading to two second-round exits in the NBA playoffs since.
It looks like this is about to change, as the Nuggets have been one of the busier teams as free agency is getting underway, trading Michael Porter Jr. for Cam Johnson and acquiring multiple free agents.
Nuggets Upgrade Porter Jr. with Johnson, Pick Up Valanciunas
The biggest move for the Nuggets so far was trading Michael Porter Jr. to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson and an unprotected first-round pick in 2032.
Porter Jr. averaged 16.2 points over six seasons in Denver, helping them to the title. He put up 18.2 points this season, almost a career-high.
However, Johnson averaged 18.8 points for the Nets last season, and his shooting numbers are basically equal to Porter Jr. Johnson, while being two years older, is a better playmaker, and while he’ll never be mistaken for a defensive stopper, Johnson puts in better effort than the player he was traded for.
Most importantly, Johnson has over $44 million left over two years, while Porter Jr. has over $78 million. Those savings allow the Nuggets to build out their roster and get depth for their team, which has been needed for two years now.
They started out strong by trading little-used Dario Saric to Sacramento for Jonas Valanciunas.
The Lithuanian center averaged 10.4 points and 7.4 boards for the Kings and Washington last season. He is an upgrade over De’Andre Jordan, and now the Nuggets can rest Jokic throughout the regular season without losing much on the floor.
The Nuggets also signed Tim Hardaway Jr. and Bruce Browm, both to a one-year minimum deal of $3.6 million. Brown was a major piece of Denver’s title-winning team two years ago and is a cult hero among the fans.
How Do the Nuggets’ NBA Championship Odds Look Now?
The Nuggets’ NBA championship odds have gotten much better very early in the transaction window. They were around +1500 after the NBA Finals, and with Jokic and Jamal Murray, they were always going to be in the top tier. But after their early moves, the Nuggets are now in the +700 to +800 region at NBA betting sites.
Remember, this was the team that fired head coach Mike Malone and general manager Calvin Booth on April 8, just three games before the playoffs started. The Nuggets still managed to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in seven games, then lost to eventual champions Oklahoma City in seven games. David Adelman has had the “interim” tag removed and is now the official head coach.
Denver has made plenty of smart moves, at least on paper, and they’ve shed some payroll, which could allow them to make another deal or two. But the Nuggets would do well to do everything they could to maximize the rest of Jokic’s prime. He’s only 30, but Jokic doesn’t seem like the type to play until he is in his late 30s.
Consequently, the Nuggets can’t afford to rest on their laurels. They’ve already shown their three-time MVP (and runner-up to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander last season) that they’re ready to challenge once again!
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