The Denver Nuggets’ tax-apron squeeze could open a lane for the Utah Jazz, and Cameron Johnson is the name that fits the picture best.
Denver already made one tidy move to dodge the NBA’s tax aprons by trading Peyton Watson. It didn’t cost them any assets, and they even came out of it with one.
But the Nuggets are still sitting above the NBA’s second tax apron, which means they have until the NBA Trade Deadline in February to get below it. That pressure gives Utah a chance to watch closely and, if the moment is right, take advantage.
Johnson stands out because he checks a few boxes at once. He’s coming off a down year, but he’s still a two-way player who would help a Jazz team that figures to have some defensive concerns.
His expiring contract only adds to the appeal. In a situation like this, Denver’s urgency and Johnson’s contract status create a rare opening, even if getting there is far from simple.
The Jazz would not be doing their division rival any favors for free, either. They have expendable assets to work with, and that could give them leverage if they decide Johnson is worth pursuing. Denver’s position also invites other teams to push for more, knowing the Nuggets need to sort out their apron situation.
Utah’s best tool here is the Walker Kessler TPE. The Kessler trade created a trade exception worth a little over $15 million, and the Jazz can use it to absorb a contract. They can’t use the full amount unless they send out another player in the deal, but that may still be worthwhile if Johnson is the target.
From there, Utah could potentially move whoever they acquire in that transaction as part of a later deal with Denver. It might not be a clean one-for-one swap, and a third team could be needed to take on the player Utah brings in with the Kessler TPE before Johnson lands in Salt Lake City. Still, Danny Ainge has a reputation for stitching those kinds of deals together.
Of course, all of this depends on how Utah’s defense actually looks once the season begins. There are question marks, but that does not automatically mean the Jazz will be poor on that end. They may decide Johnson is an upgrade, but they also have good reason to run with their current rotation before making anything drastic.
For now, this is the kind of idea that makes sense to keep in the back pocket as the Jazz get a better read on themselves. If Utah believes it can make noise this season, Johnson becomes the sort of player who could help them push harder. And if that’s where things go, this sort of path only gets more attractive.
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Jazz Trade Talk Just Drew A Clear Line Around The Core
The Jazzs roster picture has started to sharpen, and the names sitting at the center of it tell you a lot about where the franchise thinks it is headed. Lauri Markkanen remains a major piece after signing a significant contract extension, while Ace Bailey is already being viewed as part of the teams long-term foundation on a rookie deal. Add Darryn Peterson to the mix, and the front offices priorities come into focus: this is not a roster built around cashing in its most important young assets.
Petersons presence on that list is especially telling, because the organization appears to see him as a potential franchise cornerstone rather than a movable piece in the next wave of roster reshuffling. For a team that has spent plenty of time in trade speculation, drawing a clear line around those three players signals a firmer sense of direction, even if the rest of the roster is still subject to the usual churn. The bigger question now is how aggressively Utah plans to build around that core once the rest of the league comes calling. [Read more 🡒]