Denver is clearly prioritizing depth and perimeter shooting here. NAW adds point of attack defense and secondary playmaking, while Buddy Hield brings elite volume 3pt point shooting that pairs cleanly with Nikola Jokic’s playmaking. If Cam Johnson hasn’t fully carved out a stable role, turning him into two guards who can stabilize tough offensive stretches makes practical sense. NAW impacts both ends, and Hield provides spacing insurance when the offense stalls.

For New Orleans, flipping Jordan Poole into Cam Johnson is about roster clarity. If Poole wasn’t in their long term plans and fell out of the rotation, converting that into a dependable, size and shoot wing streamlines things. Johnson doesn’t dramatically shift their ceiling, but he balances the lineup and fits more cleanly with their core.

Atlanta is taking a swing on upside. Poole gives them a scoring guard who can generate offense on his own when he’s in rhythm. The risk is efficiency and decision naking, but if he rebounds to form, he either boosts their offense or rebuilds his value as a future trade asset. And if it doesn’t work, the expiring structure gives them flexibility to pivot. It’s a higher variance move, but sometimes that’s the play if you’re looking for a ceiling bump rather than a safe, modest upgrade.