By Sunday 
The NBA offseason trade rumor mill never disappoints, and this latest proposal is one of the juiciest yet. A bold, three-team trade sends a pair of Lakers to the defending-champion Denver Nuggets — and if you’re a fan of high-stakes, high-upside moves, this one checks every box.
Let’s break it down.
Nuggets Looking to Reboot Around Jokic
After a disappointing second-round playoff exit, the Denver Nuggets are clearly at a crossroads. Michael Porter Jr., once heralded as the third cornerstone behind Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, simply hasn’t held up his end of the bargain when it matters most.
He was nearly invisible in the postseason — shooting just 32.2% from the field and 25% from three — and it’s hard to justify keeping him in the fold if Denver wants to stay elite.
Enter a solution: send Porter to the Brooklyn Nets and in return, snag Rui Hachimura, Dalton Knecht, and the No. 8 overall pick from the Lakers.
That’s a strong package for Denver — they get a reliable, playoff-tested forward in Hachimura, a promising young shooter in Knecht, and a valuable draft pick to either use or flip for another piece.
It’s a smart way to get younger, more versatile, and lighten the cap load without sacrificing competitive edge.
Lakers Get the Center They’ve Been Waiting For
For the Lakers, the trade is all about fixing one of their most glaring holes: center. They’ve spent years rotating through short-term big men, and it’s time for some stability.
They get that in Nic Claxton, a 26-year-old rim protector and mobile big who averaged 1.4 blocks and 7.4 rebounds per game this past season with Brooklyn.
Claxton is the kind of center who can run the floor with Luka Dončić, protect the rim behind LeBron James, and stay on the floor late in playoff games because of his switchability.
Sure, the Lakers give up some firepower — Hachimura, Knecht, and a top-10 pick — but if they want to win now while also building for the post-LeBron era, Claxton is a perfect bridge piece.
This also gives new head coach JJ Redick a defensive anchor to build around, something LA desperately lacked last year.
Brooklyn Makes a Swing for MPJ
The Nets are already in rebuild mode. They dealt Mikal Bridges and have leaned into development. This deal gives them Michael Porter Jr., still just 26, with legitimate 20+ point per game potential if he can stay healthy and consistent.
It’s a risk, no doubt. Porter’s health and playoff performance haven’t lived up to the hype. But in Brooklyn, where the pressure is off and minutes are available, MPJ could rediscover the rhythm that once made him one of the league’s most exciting young scorers.
The Nets also get Denver’s No. 55 overall pick, which may not sound like much, but every bit helps in a rebuild. If Porter finds his groove next to Cam Thomas and the rest of Brooklyn’s young core, this could be a home-run gamble.
Who Says No?
On paper, this is the rare trade that checks out for everyone involved:
- Denver gets depth, youth, and a valuable pick while offloading an underperforming playoff piece.
- The Lakers secure a long-term center with elite defensive skills.
- Brooklyn bets on untapped upside, the kind of swing that rebuilding teams have to take.
The NBA is often about timing — knowing when to cut bait and when to pounce. This proposal feels like the right move at the right time for three franchises trying to write very different stories in 2025 and beyond.
Let the offseason fireworks begin.