NBA trade rumors: Nuggets interested in Zach LaVine, could be in mix for Cam Johnson, per report

The Denver Nuggets have had recent and “significant” discussions about trading for Chicago Bulls guard Zach LaVine, The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Tony Jones reported on Tuesday.

According to The Athletic, the Nuggets, who are 14-10 this season, have been “canvassing the league in pursuit of a player who can offer significant help offensively.” Denver has the league’s seventh-best offense, but, according to Cleaning The Glass, it has scored a dismal 97.3 points per 100 possessions without Nikola Jokic on the court in non-garbage-time minutes. (For reference, that number was 105.6 per 100 for last season’s Nuggets, and this year’s Washington Wizards, the least efficient offensive team in the league, have scored 103.7 per 100, per CTG.)

Also reportedly on Denver’s radar: Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson, Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole, Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson, Atlanta Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter and Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas.

LaVine is the biggest name of the bunch, and he’s also on the biggest contract. The two-time All-Star is making $43 million this season, and he’s owed $46 million next season with a $49 million player option for 2026-27. His contract includes a 15% trade kicker.

If Denver is going to make a big move, it will likely send Michael Porter Jr. out in the deal, per The Athletic. Porter is making $35.9 million this season, $38.3 million next season and $40.9 million ($12 million guaranteed) in 2026-27. Reserve big man Zeke Nnaji, who is in Year 1 of a four-year, $32 million contract extension, is also available. Simply trading Porter and Nnaji for LaVine would would satisfy the league’s salary-matching requirements, but the Nuggets would presumably have to incentivize the Bulls with draft picks and/or pick swaps.

This season, LaVine, a two-time All-Star, has averaged 21.7 points on 63.1% true shooting, plus 4.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 33.4 minutes. He has made a career-high 42.8% of his 3-point attempts, and he’s made 42.4% of his pull-up 3s. 

If Denver is indeed focused on adding an creator, LaVine is probably the best realistic target. As soon as this season started, he reminded people how easily he can pile up points when healthy, and his improved cutting suggests that he should be able to thrive alongside Jokic. He has never played in an offensive system that resembles the Nuggets’, though, and if he’s effectively swapped for Porter, the extra on-ball juice would come with a trade-off: Denver would be significantly smaller.

LaVine turns 30 in March. Chicago is 12-15 and has reportedly had LaVine on the trade block for more than a year.