Cam Johnson To The Nuggets Is A Match Made In Hoops Heaven!

Cam Johnson To The Nuggets Is A Match Made In Hoops Heaven!

Now more than ever, NBA offenses revolve around the pick and roll, arguably the most fundamental and effective action in today’s game. It creates mismatches, forces switches, and puts defenses in constant decision-making mode. But the Denver Nuggets have always been an outlier. While most teams lean heavily into pick and roll schemes, the Nuggets have consistently taken a different path. In fact, over the last five seasons, and honestly, we could go back even further, the Nuggets have ranked dead last in pick and roll frequency in all but one year, which was this past season. It’s simply not the foundation of their offense. Some might point to former head coach Michael Malone as the reason behind this unique approach, and with his departure, things could change, but let’s focus on what has worked so well for them during this stretch. Denver’s offensive identity has been built on constant ball movement and player movement. Rather than relying on ball dominant pick and rolls, they run intricate offball sets, down screens, cross screens, and staggered actions to free up their guards and wings. We saw this play out repeatedly during their playoff run this season. One player who was central to these actions, Michael Porter Jr., nearly 40% of Denver’s offball screens were designed specifically for him, giving him plenty of catch and shoot opportunities. But despite the volume, the efficiency wasn’t there. MPJ ran more offball screen actions than anyone else on the team. Yet, his effectiveness was worse than league average. In fact, only Russell Westbrook was less efficient on those types of plays for the Nuggets this season. Why does that matter? Because the Nuggets went out and replaced MPJ with a player who thrives in those exact scenarios, Cam Johnson. A guy who isn’t just comfortable running offball actions, but one of the very best in the entire league at capitalizing on them. In fact, Cam was more effective in these off-ball situations than players like Tyler Herro, Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and even his new teammate Jamal Murray. And those are players who are widely known for their elite offball movement and catch and shoot ability. Yet, Cam stands right there with them, if not above. Catch andoot threes are the lifeblood of Cam’s offensive game. This season, nearly 40% of his total shots came from catch and shoot threes, where he knocked them down at a strong 40.3% clip on high volume with over five attempts per game. And here’s the wild part. That’s actually his worst mark since his sophomore season back in 2021. Now, imagine what he could do on a team like Denver, a team that excels at creating open looks through cutting, screening, and constant offball motion. Add in Joic, the best passing big man the game has ever seen. And the types of shots Cam is going to get, they’re going to be wide open looks. But what truly separates Cam from most offball threats in the league isn’t just his movement or shooting. It’s his playmaking. And that part of his game often flies under the radar if you’re not watching him closely. Cam sees the floor like a guard. He’s patient and rarely forces up a shot if it’s not the right one. Take this play for example. The Nets run a staggered screen to free Cam on the wing. Keon sets the first screen, which Wallace ends up getting caught on it. Sharp notices this and makes a smart read. Instead of completing the second screen, he slips to the rim. Now Hartinstein has to choose. Stay with the rolling Sharp or rotate to Cam, who’s spotting up for a three. He chooses the latter, and that rotation forces Isaiah Joe to help off his man. Cam sees it all unfold in real time. And without hesitation, he skips the obvious pass to the rolling sharp and hits Keon Johnson, who is now wide open on the wing for a clean three. Here’s another clip. Cam comes curling off an offball screen and receives the pass from Cam Thomas. Stress does a solid job navigating under the screen and staying tight to Cam, but Cam remains poised. No rushed shot, no rushed dribble. He slows it down, feels Strus on his hip, seals him off, and surveys. The moment he draws the attention of four defenders, he snaps a no-look dart to Zire Williams in the corner, wide open for a clean, uncontested three. Cam is more than just a shooter. He’s a playmaker. Sure, MPJ may have had a slight edge in catch and shoot numbers this season, and yes, playing next to someone like Jokic naturally boosts those percentages, but Cam is a far more dynamic read and react player. And that’s exactly the type of player who thrives in Denver’s offense, which revolves almost entirely around spontaneous decision-making and flowing movement. Even as a pick and roll initiator, Cam’s vision and feel stand out. He consistently reads where the help is coming from and delivers the right pass, giving the Nuggets yet another offensive creator outside of just Murray and Joic. And while Denver doesn’t lean heavily on ISO plays, ranking among the bottom five teams in ISO possessions per game, if they ever decide to go that route, Cam is more than suited to that style of play. Despite the low volume, he was still one of the most efficient isolation scorers in the league this season. In fact, over the past two seasons, Cam has quietly established himself as one of the league’s most effective isolation scorers, finishing both years ranked in the 87th percentile or better in ISO efficiency. And a big reason for that is his dramatically improved pull-up shooting and highlevel finishing on drives. This season, Cam converted 53.5% of his shots off drives. A mark better than the likes of Donovan Mitchell, LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Edwards. And he’s not just getting downhill to score, he’s also creating for others off those drives as well. Even when he’s not directly involved in the primary action, Cam finds ways to leave his mark. Take this play for example. The Nets run a pick and roll, but the Spurs switch it cleanly, killing any initial advantage. That’s when Cam reads the situation perfectly. He cuts from the strongside corner to open up a passing lane. Martin finds him and Cam finishes it off with a smooth reverse layup. It’s a quick sequence, but it says a lot. That level of timing and spatial awareness is exactly why Cam ranked in the top 20% of the league in efficiency on offball cuts, generating 1.46 points per possession. Whether it’s slicing to the rim or relocating for a catch and shoot three, his elite offball movement and underrated on ball creation are tools that will fit seamlessly into the Nuggets offense next season. But Denver’s offense isn’t just about surgical halfcourt execution. They’ve embraced the transition game more than ever. In fact, the Nuggets had more transition possessions per game this season than in any of the past 10 years. It’s a trend that’s only been climbing and it’s been paying off. They finished top seven in transition volume and ranked second in points per possession. That tells you everything. They’re not only eager to push the pace, but they’re also incredibly efficient when they do. Now, why bring up Denver’s transition offense? Because their newest addition, Cam Johnson, is a perfect fit. Among players who initiated at least three transition possessions per game, Cam ranked fourth in the entire league in points per possession, trailing only Zack Lavine, Kevin Herder, and his soon-to-be teammate Christian Brawn. But it’s Cam’s elite spacing in transition that’s truly going to elevate Denver’s game to another level. His instinct to sprint toward open spots beyond the ark creates an easy outlet option, especially as defenders scramble to clog the middle of the floor. Pair that with Yoki’s uncanny ability to deliver pinpoint long range passes in transition, and you’ve got a recipe for an explosive offense. Cam, who already thrives in those fast break moments, is set to find even more success and freedom on the Nuggets next season. With how seamlessly Denver’s players move without the ball and their excellent playmaking, their offense is shaping up to be a non-stop cycle of movement. The Nuggets are going to be mustwatch basketball next season. Let me know in the comments how you feel about the trade. Where does this move place Denver in the championship conversation? I’d love to hear your take. But until then, thanks so much for tuning in. I really appreciate your support and I can’t wait to break down more film with you next time. Four-point game. 8.9 seconds left. Nets get it up the floor quickly. Johnson a deep three. It’s good. Cam Johnson.

Cam Johnson To The Nuggets Is A Match Made In Hoops Heaven!

What’s in today’s video?

Timestamps :
0:00 – Intro
0:13 – Why The Nuggets Offense Is So Unique
1:30 – Why Cam Johnson Is The Perfect Off-Ball Upgrade On MPJ
4:21 – Cam’s Versatility As An On-Ball Threat
6:13 – How Cam Perfectly Fits Into Denver’s Ever-Evolving Transition Game

Cam Johnson might be one of the most underrated offensive weapons in the NBA—and now, he’s joining a Denver Nuggets team that couldn’t be a more perfect fit for his skill set. While most teams build around pick-and-roll heavy schemes, the Nuggets have taken a different approach, ranking dead last in pick-and-roll frequency in four of the past five seasons. Instead, they rely on constant motion, cutting, and elite off-ball actions—precisely where Cam thrives.

This season, nearly 40% of Cam’s total shots came from catch-and-shoot threes, which he hit at a 40.3% clip—more efficient than elite off-ball scorers like Devin Booker, Tyler Herro, and even Jamal Murray. And yet, it’s not just his shooting that stands out. Cam’s feel for the game, patient decision-making, and underrated playmaking ability make him more than just a floor spacer. Whether curling off screens, reading help defenses, or delivering no-look passes, he plays with a poise that’s tailor-made for Denver’s flowing offense.

In this breakdown, we’ll dive into what makes Cam Johnson such a seamless fit next to Nikola Jokić. We’ll analyze his off-ball movement, playmaking reads, transition spacing, and isolation efficiency—finishing in the 87th percentile or better in iso scoring over the past two seasons. We’ll also show how his 53.5% field goal percentage on drives this season—higher than Kyrie, LeBron, and Donovan Mitchell—gives Denver another dynamic creator alongside Murray and Jokić.

With Denver embracing more transition opportunities than ever before and Jokić’s elite passing creating open looks from all angles, Cam Johnson could be the piece that takes the Nuggets’ already elite offense to another level. Could this move make Denver even scarier than they were during their title run? Let’s find out.

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Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.

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