When the Brooklyn Nets finally moved off of veteran sharpshooter Cam Johnson, Michael Porter Jr. was presumed to be the focal point of the deal. Porter had previously played four seasons under Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez (2018-22), and his scoring capabilities immediately catapulted him to one of Brooklyn's top offensive weapons.

However, it seems league executives view the other half of the Denver Nuggets' outgoing package as the most valuable asset involved: a 2032 unprotected first-round pick.

"That was a prized asset they gave up," one general manager told ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst. "Teams have been eyeing that one to see if they'd actually use it."

That general manager wasn't the lone front office member who revealed their thoughts on the deal. While Bontemps and Windhorst's first attribution appeared to side with Brooklyn, another executive seems to believe Denver may have won the trade.

"I know Cam Johnson has some past health issues, but Porter's back issues and knee issues make this move make sense to me," the anonymous executive said. "I think Cam and [Nikola] Jokic will connect on the floor well. They both think the game the same way."

Obviously, fans will have to await the start of the 2025-26 regular season to truly deem who came out on top, but the magnitude of the Nuggets including such a distant draft choice cannot be overstated.

Jokic will be 37 years old by the time the pick conveys—and that's if he's still playing professional basketball at that age. The three-time MVP has made it clear in the past that the sport is more of a job than a passion, which means it wouldn't be surprising to see him walk away early if the time is right.

By the time the Nets have the opportunity to use that pick, the Nuggets may find themselves in the very situation their trade partner is now: rebuilding.

The move continues a string of transactions orchestrated by general manager Sean Marks, compiling future assets to maintain total flexibility. Brooklyn just set a league record by using five first-rounders in last week's draft, but if deals like the Porter-Johnson swap continue to occur, the Nets may just have an opportunity to—eventually—break their own record.