The NBA offseason always brings surprises, but few saw this one coming. Cam Johnson to the Denver Nuggets and Michael Porter Jr. headed east to the Brooklyn Nets. It’s a swap that shook two franchises at very different points in their trajectories, one chasing a championship, the other rebuilding from the ground up. At first glance, it’s a basketball move, a straight-up trade of two sharpshooting forwards. But after listening a little closer to what Cam Johnson said on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s Dawg Talk podcast, it is something deeper: a shift in expectations, mentality, and culture.
Brooklyn was a grind, and Cam lived it. He came into a locker room full of young talent, high hopes, and low fourth-quarter execution. Now, in Denver, he sees something else, a chance. He explained that the Nets were rebuilding, with many young players and a focus on trying to establish a winning culture. This process involved very intentional coaching styles and a locker room environment centered around learning and development.
Then, Johnson moved to one of the key struggles: the team’s inability to close out games, especially in the fourth quarter. “We blew a lot of fourth-quarter leads this past year. At times like we just couldn’t win games in the fourth quarter,” he said. While they often built leads but failed to maintain them down the stretch, which led to a lot of internal conversations about improving fundamentals, execution, and how to finish games more effectively. Essentially, he revealed the growing pains of a team still trying to figure out how to win consistently in the NBA.
Nov 11, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) warms up before the game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
However, for Cam, that grind in Brooklyn wasn’t just frustrating, it was formative. It sharpened his understanding of what separates losing teams from contenders. And now that he’s in Denver, he knows exactly what he’s walking into and what MPJ is walking away from. Johnson shared his immediate reaction to being traded to the Denver Nuggets. With the core stars of the team, Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Aaron Gordon, he has joined a roster built to compete for an NBA championship.
Cam emphasizes how few teams in the league are genuine title contenders every year. And he believes Denver is one of them, especially since they’ve already proven they can win, referencing their championship run with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The athlete also points out the unique offensive advantage of playing alongside Jokic, whom he calls the “best player in the world,” and starts to consider how he might fit into that system. A system known for its unselfish, high-IQ basketball.
His tone not just reflected excitement but also a readiness to adapt and contribute in a meaningful way to a team with real aspirations. It’s not a jab at MPJ. But it is a message: this isn’t Brooklyn anymore. This is a fully operational contender, and Johnson’s mindset is already aligned with that reality. The expectation isn’t to develop into something, it’s to be something. Now.
Johnson finds a $4.75M benefit in Denver
What’s even more poetic about this trade is what it unlocked, not just on the court, but in real estate. Johnson and Porter Jr., reportedly close friends, have even discussed swapping homes. “It’s crazy cause Cam and I are actually boys,” Porter said on his Curious Mike YouTube channel. “We’re pretty cool. We’re even having talks of swapping homes. He might stay in my crib in Denver. I might stay where he lived in Brooklyn.” That “crib” in Denver isn’t just any spot. It’s a $4.75 million luxury condo at the Four Seasons Hotel, purchased by Porter after his breakout 2020–21 season.
The place boasts three bedrooms, four bathrooms, skyline and mountain views, and full access to rooftop pools, private elevators, and world-class amenities. For Cam Johnson, sliding into that setup isn’t just convenient…it’s symbolic. A plug-and-play lifestyle upgrade to match the plug-and-play basketball role Denver envisions for him. While he figures out how to mesh with Jokic’s brainy ball movement and Murray’s two-man game, he can do it all while living in luxury just minutes from Ball Arena.
And let’s not forget the financial element. Porter Jr. is owed over $79 million over the next two seasons, while Johnson’s contract runs at just $44 million over that same span. The difference of around $35 million gave Denver the flexibility to also snag veteran help like Jonas Valanciunas, Bruce Brown Jr., and Tim Hardaway Jr. MPJ leaves Denver with memories of a championship ring and unfulfilled expectations. His injuries and inconsistent postseason runs made him the odd man out. He lands in Brooklyn with less pressure and more ball to go around. There, he reunites with former assistant Jordi Fernandez and a young core that’s hungry to take the next step.
Meanwhile, Cam Johnson steps into the Mile High spotlight with his eyes wide open. He knows what was missing in Brooklyn and sees what’s possible in Denver. And he’s not shy about setting the tone. “I want to win,” Johnson said. “That’s what I’m most excited about… My goal, number one, is to win.” If this is what reinvention looks like in the NBA, then Nuggets fans should be very excited.
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