The Nets will likely be entertaining trade offers for Joe Johnson up until the trade deadline, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders opines in a collaborative piece. Johnson will make slightly under $23.2MM this season and will become a free agent next summer.
Here’s more from Brooklyn:
- In the same piece, the writers at Basketball Insiders gave their predictions for Brooklyn this season, with no writer having the team finishing higher than third place in the Atlantic Division. The Nets received praise for getting younger in the offseason, but the team’s lack of depth was a reason for pessimism.
- Anthony Puccio of SB Nation wonders who will take on the sixth man role for the Nets. Puccio identifies Andrea Bargnani, who signed a two-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum this offseason, as the likeliest candidate to take on the role. The scribe also names Rondae Hollis-Jefferson as someone who could have a sixth man-like impact off the bench.
- Wayne Ellington is excited about his decision to sign with Brooklyn and the 27-year-old sees the team as a great fit, Kathryn Przybyla of NBA.com writes. “I had a lot of conversations with my agent, weighing options out, but this was just the perfect spot for me, on the court obviously and off the court as well. I’m from the Philadelphia area so I’m from right down the street. This is a lovely spot for me and I’m very happy,” Ellington said.
The Nets are still open to trade after the deadline and after Johnson ‘ contract is up though. They will forever be ready to trade him.
I wonder if the Nets start out slow, or if Lopez gets injured, will they aggressively shop Johnson. It’ll take some creativity, but that contract is movable.