Lakers could help Nuggets out by trading for $95M 3-and-D wing who Luka Doncic needs

1 hour ago 1

Certain players are a bit overrated in terms of what they can do.

We've seen many role players go to lottery-level teams and score the basketball at a very high level, which has prompted some to believe that they are a lot better than they actually are. One of those guys, at least on the offensive side, is Cameron Johnson of the Denver Nuggets.

Johnson was with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to Denver as part of a deal involving Michael Porter Jr., and many seem to believe that he even had a chance to be an All-Star or something.

However, that just isn't the type of player he is, and that might not be what Denver was looking for. At the same time, that's exactly what the Los Angeles Lakers should be looking for, which is why I think the most recent prediction that Johnson will be traded should be music to Los Angeles' ears.

“Johnson did exactly what he was brought to Denver to do, operating as a lethal, hyper-efficient spatial engine while sniping a blistering 43.0% from beyond the arc. Contenders are perpetually starved for high-IQ, plug-and-play wing depth, making him an incredibly attractive asset on the open market. But here is the catch: with the Nuggets facing an absolute salary-cap crunch under the league's uncompromising second-apron rules, keeping Johnson’s salary on the ledger might be a luxury they can no longer afford. Flipping him for multiple cost-controlled depth assets is a classic, savvy move to rebalance a top-heavy roster matrix,” Joe Cervenka wrote.

To get a player of Johnson's caliber, the Lakers would have to give Denver a decent return.

Unfortunately for Denver and Los Angeles, making a trade is probably a bit more difficult than it seems. The Lakers don't have a ton of assets, so even if Denver does want to move on from his contract, it isn't like it's going to get a ton in return. At the same time, I really think this is the perfect move to make for Los Angeles.