APRIL 10: Edwards’ new contract is now official, the Nets announced (via Twitter). It includes a team option for next season, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
APRIL 7: The Nets have waived forward James Johnson, our JD Shaw tweets, and plan to promote rookie Kessler Edwards to a standard deal so he’s eligible for the postseason, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
Johnson, 35, is a 13-year NBA veteran who’s appeared in a total of 747 regular season games. In 62 games (10 starts) with the Nets this season, he averaged 5.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assists on .469/.271/.527 shooting in 19.2 minutes per night.
Edwards, 21, was the 44th overall pick of the 2021 draft after three seasons with Pepperdine. He’s been on a two-way contract this season, and clearly the Nets like what they’ve seen from the young forward, because they want him to keep contributing for a potential playoff run.
Through 46 games (22 starts) this season, Edwards is averaging 5.8 points and 3.5 rebounds on .412/.359/.824 shooting in 20.1 minutes. He took advantage of his opportunity over the winter months when the team was ravaged by players in the health and safety protocols, as he’d rarely seen action to that point.
Edwards is known as a strong, versatile defender and is a better spot-up shooter than Johnson, as evidenced by their respective three-point percentages. Because Johnson was waived so late in the season, he will not be eligible to play in the postseason with another team.
This move makes sense, but if they want to keep James Johnson around for a couple games, I believe they could sign him to a ten-day contract for hardship while Dragic is out for COVID. I doubt they would though.
I didnt like Johnson at all but they did him dirty. Not a very good player in my opinion but they do need some more size. Edwards needs to work on his jump shot if he wants to be of any value, seems like hes always missing
Perfect fit for the dubs. I dont know how the waiver process works regarding this.
He won’t be eligible for the postseason with any other team besides the Nets, so the Dubs would just have him for games through Sunday.
By waiving Johnson so late, the Nets deprived him of the opportunity to play for a contending playoff team…that’s just wrong! It sucks for him, and makes the team appear to have made a move that was unplanned, thoughtless, and inconsiderate of the players well-being. Can’t trust this team to do the right thing by their own players!
It is a business. They paid his contract and honored it.
Edwards is their player as well. Obviously, you think the “right thing” was to leave Edwards off the playoff roster even though he was in the rotation and JJ wasn’t. Certainly, that would be the wrong thing by the organization, its other players and the fans. But BKN’s opponents might like, and JJ (maybe) and you. Yeah, do it.
What a heartless move for a committed veteran. Johnson plays hard and stays in shape. He played well for them when the injuries piled up. Now he’s done for the year because of ineligibility. Other vets could be looking at this next time the Nets need to sign them.
Should have waived Blake Griffin.
He can help a playoff team, with depth.