Nobody is expecting Cam Johnson to come in and be a defensive stopper for the Nuggets, but what may be underrated is just how damaging a defender Michael Porter Jr. has become. Johnson was a solid defensive player early in his career, when he was battling for his spot in the league and competing for a title with the Suns.
But his play on that end of the floor has fallen off considerably in Brooklyn, while he has taken on a much bigger role on offense and been playing for non-competitive teams. Last season, Johnson was in just the 36th percentile in defensive EPM (estimated plus minus), a mark that’s well below league average, and close to the worst of his career.