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NBA teams all over the league are scrambling to gear up for the playoff push that is coming as the All-Star break and the trade deadline approach. Teams are trying to make deals to bolster their roster while they keep a close eye on some of the squads near the bottom of the standings as they seek useful veterans to add to their rotation.
One of those teams that contenders are closely monitoring is the Brooklyn Nets. The Nets don't have enough talent on their roster to compete at the top of the Eastern Conference, but they are loaded with quality veterans that are helping them win games. In fact, the Nets may be winning too many games for the front office and the fanbase's liking, as they currently sit in 11th place in the East.
The Nets have already traded point guard Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors, and now teams are fociused on 3-and-D wings Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. The Nets hold a lot of valuable cards, especially when it comes to Johnson, and there are a lot of teams that are trying to add him to their teams, according to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints.
“The Magic, Lakers, Warriors, Kings, and Memphis Grizzlies have all made calls this season to inquire about Johnson, sources said,” Siegel reported. “The San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Miami Heat, and Indiana Pacers are other teams mentioned in conversations around the league as potential suitors for Johnson. To keep things short, over half the league is interested in trading for the Nets forward, which is why the Nets can help control how this trade deadline plays out.”
Could the Nets keep Cam Johnson?
However likely it seems, there's no guarantee that the Nets will trade Johnson at any point if they don't get an adequate return for him. Finney-Smith is a cheaper, older and overall less valuable option, so he makes more sense for the Nets to move off of than Johnson.
However, keeping Johnson in Brooklyn could have tremendous value to the franchise moving forward, according to Siegel.
“Whether or not Brooklyn truly parts ways with Johnson is a key topic that isn't getting enough attention,” Siegel wrote. “While he is one of the better players who can be traded this season, the Nets are in no rush to make a change with Johnson. He is a player the organization trusts, and the 28-year-old is easily one of the better secondary players in the league when next to an established star. The Nets are going to be in the market for star-level talent next offseason, which makes Johnson's value even higher than imagined.”
Johnson's age and skillset are what makes him so valuable to teams around the league, but he is also a piece that the Nets can keep around as they try to accelerate their rebuild with a big addition in the coming years.
