One NBA writer is proposing that the Denver Nuggets trade Michael Porter Jr. to the Indiana Pacers for Buddy Hield. Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report proposed the following blockbuster trade idea between the Nuggets and Pacers:
The Trade: Porter Jr., a 2024 second-round pick (via CHO or Minnesota), a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 second-round pick to the Indiana Pacers for Buddy Hield, T.J. McConnell and Obi Toppin
“The reigning champion Nuggets lost valuable depth this offseason (notably, Bruce Brown and Jeff Green) and could discover their young players aren’t ready to fill those voids,” Buckley wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “That could incentivize Denver to do a deal like this, in which it would be losing the best player but adding three plug-and-play pieces to the rotation. Hield is one of the best three-point threats in the business (1,705 career triples at a 40.2 percent clip) and could be more threatening than ever alongside playmakers like Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray.
“McConnell, a defense-first distributor, could be a two-way tone-setter for the second team, while athletic finisher Toppin could dazzle in this motion offense.”
NBA TRADE, NEWS & RUMORS: Michael Porter Jr., Buddy Hield, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers Updates
Porter Jr. appeared in 62 games for the Nuggets last season. He averaged 17.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 48.7% from the field, 41.4% from beyond the arc and 80.0% from the free-throw line. The 25-year-old helped Denver win the 2023 NBA championship over the Miami Heat in five games.
Meanwhile, Hield played in 80 games for the Pacers last season. He averaged 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 45.8% from the floor, 42.5% from 3 and 82.2% from the free-throw line.
NBA TRADE, NEWS & RUMORS: Michael Porter Jr., Buddy Hield, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers Updates
Porter Jr. signed a five-year, $172 million contract with the Nuggets in September 2021, while Hield signed a four-year, $94 million deal with the Sacramento Kings in October 2019.
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