In today’s fast-paced sports media landscape, in-depth analysis has become a rare luxury. With constant pressure to deliver instant takes, especially on platforms like ESPN, where offering immediate opinions on unfolding NBA events is part of the job, many pundits default to surface-level commentary. This explains the prevalence of shallow analysis, but it does not excuse the spread of outright inaccuracies, particularly when those inaccuracies are used to criticize the work of others, such as general managers or coaches in the NBA. Such was the case with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, who criticized the Cam Johnson trade (Start: 40:55 – 42:00) based on a fundamentally flawed understanding of the player’s actual game.
When Shallow Analysis Breeds Unhelpful Criticism
That’s why it struck a nerve when he criticized the Nuggets’ decision to trade Michael Porter Jr. and a first-round pick for Cameron Johnson, framing it as little more than a cost-cutting move and claiming that it was essentially swapping two “identical” players and throwing in a first-rounder just to shed salary.
To his credit, Bontemps did note that Denver would need to use its newfound cap flexibility productively, which they eventually did by signing Jonas Valanciunas. This likely explains why his criticism softened later, once it became clear that ownership wasn’t simply pocketing the savings but reinvesting that cap space to add much-needed roster depth.
Still, the core problem with this opinion remains: Viewing MPJ and Johnson as essentially interchangeable only makes sense if your basketball analysis is based on highlights or NBA 2K gameplay. Frankly, that’s not the standard we should expect from one of ESPN’s top NBA reporters.
Similar on the Surface, but very Different Playstyles
Yes, both players are tall, floor-spacing forwards known for their three-point shooting. But reducing their games to such basics fails to capture how each player can bring new dimensions to help their respective teams and what unique advantages they offer for the future.
MPJ thrives on tough shot-making, using his incredible size and high release point to allow him to shoot over virtually any perimeter defender. At nearly seven feet tall, he needs minimal separation to get his jumper off, routinely hitting contested or off-balance shots that would be impossible to take for most players. Before injuries limited his mobility, he also exploited size mismatches through deep postups.
He was never a great playmaker — to be fair, it was never his role — but his skillset kept him mostly confined to catch-and-shoot, DHO, or isolation situations. His limited ball-handling made it hard for him to create off the dribble, and while his reputation as a “ball hog” is overstated, he’s certainly not a pass-first player.
Johnson, while still generating plenty of looks through off-ball movement, has added an important dimension to his game with the added responsibility he had in Brooklyn — the ability to create for himself and others by putting the ball on the floor. He’s not just a spot-up shooter, he has become a capable secondary creator.
While his workload in Brooklyn was too heavy to generate efficient offense, in Denver — alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray — he can operate as the third option, where his off-ball movement, decision-making, and off-the-dribble creation should thrive. That’s why the Cam Johnson trade makes sense: He provides the additional creation they’ve been missing while fitting seamlessly into their offensive ecosystem
Why Denver’s New Defensive Approach Changes Everything
Defensively, the conversation also goes deeper than the usual “who’s the better perimeter defender” debate.
Cam Johnson is quicker laterally and makes fewer mistakes — he’s clearly the stronger perimeter defender. But fit matters, and Denver’s defensive scheme for years established under former head coach Michael Malone was anything but traditional. Because Jokic might be the worst rim protector in the league, the Nuggets often had him defend high in pick-and-roll coverage. That put the onus on the weakside defender to rotate down, contest shots at the rim, and secure rebounds. In that role, MPJ, for all his flaws, excelled — his length made him an effective rim protector and rebounder within that specific system.
Johnson can’t replicate that exact role. However, Denver’s recent playoff adjustments — including more traditional coverages and a highly effective zone against the Thunder — suggest new head coach David Adelman may be steering the defense in a different direction. In that context, Johnson’s being the superior defender in the traditional sense could be more valuable for the Nuggets going forward.
It’s also worth noting that MPJ’s defensive impact had begun to decline. As injuries mounted, his quickness waned even more, mental mistakes became more frequent, and in the playoffs, opponents targeted him relentlessly — a trend that showed no signs of reversing. Which is why this trade makes sense — it gives the Nuggets more defensive solidity to complement the strong defensive duo of Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun.
Tim Bontemps Analysis of the Cam Johnson Trade Not Up to His Usual Standard.
At the end of the day, despite all the on-paper advantages Johnson provides over MPJ, the results could backfire — but that wouldn’t change the fact that Bontemps’ analysis is built on a lazy and superficial foundation.
Yes, he works under time constraints. Balancing breaking news with in-depth analysis is nearly impossible. He is one of the best in the business — a real journalist, not an entertainer like so many of his ESPN contemporaries. But that’s exactly why we should expect better from him, because this analysis falls short of his usual standard.
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