It was no secret that the Denver Nuggets were active in trade discussions this offseason. Before ultimately deciding to ship Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers in a sign-and-trade that netted them a future first-round and second-round pick, the Nuggets were fielding other trade offers.

Most notably, many expected the Nuggets to trade away Cameron Johnson. The 30-year-old sharpshooter is on an expiring contract worth $23.1 million, and for a Nuggets team that wanted to re-sign Watson while saving money and dodging the second apron, it felt obvious that he was on the trade block.

Of course, rival teams also felt it was obvious. As The Denver Post's Bennett Durando reports, the Nuggets had no leverage in trade talks for Johnson, with rival teams asking the Nuggets to give up draft capital in any trade.

"Rival teams eyed Denver’s cap sheet and tried to take advantage of it. Hoping the Nuggets were desperate to avoid the second apron, those teams asked Denver to give up draft picks along with Johnson, multiple sources said," Durando reported. "... It was a matter of leverage and opportunism. The Nuggets rebuffed any such efforts."

Johnson averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game last season, shooting 43% from beyond the arc. On an expiring contract, Johnson is as positive a trade asset as you can get, but because of the Nuggets' desperate situation, they understandably struggled to find a worthwhile offer.

What's next for Johnson?

The only real reason for the Nuggets to try to trade away Johnson this offseason was to clear cap space and make it more realistic to re-sign Watson. If they re-signed Watson and kept Johnson, Denver would've owed a historic luxury tax penalty and would've been miles into the second apron.

With Watson gone now, Johnson's spot in Denver seems safe, and it is clear that the Nuggets value him as a positive starter.

"They also received at least one legitimately good offer for the 30-year-old wing, according to a league source. They still turned it down, viewing Johnson as an impactful starter," Durando wrote. "... After feeling out the market, the Nuggets decided they preferred Johnson’s expiring salary, Spencer Jones’ cheaper extension, and an unprotected first-rounder rather than what they would have had to sacrifice for a long-term relationship with Watson."

The Nuggets' starting lineup of Johnson alongside Jamal Murray, Christian Braun, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic is one of the best in the NBA. Sure, they could've traded Johnson and filled his spot in the starting lineup with Watson, but they have a good thing going as is.

Johnson will play a huge role for the Nuggets this season, and if he can replicate what he brought to the team last year as one of the league's top three-point shooters, a reliable defender, and a tertiary ball-handler, they will be in good hands. Luckily, as it stands, they reportedly have no more plans to trade him.

"Anything can change in the NBA overnight, but as of now, Johnson is fully part of the team’s plan for the 2026-27 season, sources told The Post," Durando wrote.

The Nuggets' starting lineup is unquestionably capable of competing for a championship. While there are some questions about the team's depth, this lineup, including Johnson, should be enough to keep them competitive in a grueling Western Conference.

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