The Cavaliers have expressed interest in acquiring forward Cameron Johnson from the Nets, Joe Vardon of The Athletic reports.
Cleveland’s front office has at least discussed Johnson as a potential target and inquired about his availability. Some rival team officials believe Cleveland will make a serious run at acquiring Johnson, Vardon adds.
The Nets have already dealt away Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith in their zeal to open up cap space and pile up draft assets. Johnson, who has been battling an ankle injury in recent weeks, might be their most valuable remaining asset. He’s averaging a career-best 19.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33 starts. Johnson is also shooting a career-high 49.9 percent from the field, including 42.8 percent beyond the arc.
Johnson is in the second year of a four-year contract that includes $90MM in guaranteed salary and $18MM in incentives. The Cavaliers’ desire to acquire Johnson is tempered by the fact that the Eastern Conference leaders lack draft capital and do not want to move any of their top eight players. While they do have plenty of second-round picks to dangle, the Cavs can’t deal any of their first-rounders earlier than the 2031 draft.
Caris LeVert‘s expiring $16.6MM contract would be a logical piece to include in a proposed deal with a rebuilding team, though he’s averaging 11.1 points and 3.8 assists per game in a reserve role.
Cleveland has been searching for a starting small forward for several seasons. Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro have received the bulk of the starts at that position. Wade might be more suited to a backup power forward role, Vardon notes, and Okoro has been unable to establish himself as a consistent starter since he was drafted in the 2020 lottery.
The Cavs have the top-rated offense in the league but they have one of the NBA’s smallest backcourts. Their 134-114 loss to the Thunder on Thursday was an example of how opponents with length on the perimeter can hold them down. The playoffs tend to be slower, more halfcourt-oriented slugfests and Johnson could help them in that area.
Caris LeVert plus Georges Niang and a 1st rounder lottery protected might do the trick? Niang is on the hook for $8.5M next year and wouldn’t be a replacement for Cam Johnson.
This might be the worst proposal I could have heard
Well everyone else makes too much for Nets to be interested. I had to go with what was financially realistic that Brooklyn wants from picks/cap perspective. If you can find a trade for him with Cleveland, go for it.
Mine may have been the worst, according to some, Brabo:
Phoenix gets Jimmy Buckets and conditional firsts from GS and Miami; Golden State gets KD and Alec Burks, and Miami gets, Wiggins, Schröder, Hield, and a pair of 2nds from Phoenix
I mean that trade works for everyone except for Phoenix, who would now be stuck with both Jimmy Butler and Bradley Beal lol
raz, that’s probably a good starting point but I’m sure it’s going to take more.
Yours works salary wise, but maybe Cleveland thinks they are right there on the cusp of a finals appearance and throw in another first round pick? (If they even have one to give after all they gave up for Donovan Mitchell. Would the Nets entertain an offer of a 1st in 2031 or 32.., or later?)
It’s going to be an exciting trade deadline that’s for sure.
Gary, I think there needs to be a 3rd team that possibly would need to get involved for it to happen. Wonder what Okoro’s trade value would be in a 3 team deal?
Nets want two 1sts. If the Cavs can get another 1st somewhere for Okoro then they can offer two, but trading Okoro weakens the defense & trading LeVert weakens the backcourt. I wonder if they couldn’t deal Tyson for a 1st instead.
Just send Tyson to the Nets. I bet they’d take him, a first, two seconds, and a brief LeVert reunion. Which is kinda scary, Cleveland is gonna be tough.
Tyson was drafted because LeVert won’t be on the team in a year. He’s too good not to start for another team at a higher salary that CLE can’t/won’t match.
@Raz – good start, but not sure the Nets want a 2031 round one when they could work with another team to some more round 1’s sooner
Cam Johnson is a coveted player with high value, I dont see how Cleveland could come up with a package good enough to get him
Yes, exactly. The Cavs could be dreaming here.
The only way with this new CBA, for top teams to improve is at the back end of the rotation and shuffling cards at minimum deals.
The league doesn’t want powerhouse teams anymore so Johnson to the Cavs could be a pipe dream. In fact, Johnson to any of the contenders could be a pipe dream. He makes too much money.
I will still take Johnson over Wiggins (as long as Wiggins keeps averaging under 20 PPG, if he starts averaging over 20 PPG then he can stay).
Wiggins is playing well now, but I’ve wanted him out of town the last five years. When push comes to shove and the game is on the line, he will disappoint us time and time again.
Wiggins surprised us with a super performance in the last Warriors championship, but it was his defense that was outstanding.
Offensively you can’t count on this guy. It’ll be a turnover or a missed shot or a bad pass or something that will cause you to pull your hair out.
So yes, even though he’s still a little unproven, I’d rather have a marksman like Johnson than a guy you already know will let you down at some inopportune time.
Gary, I read somewhere that Bulls wanted CP3 and Wiggins for Lavine prior to the start of last year and MDJ said no? Looking back at it now, it probably was the best offer they were going to get for Wiggins. I don’t think he’s viewed as a difference maker in most NBA inner circles.
raz, I think Dunleavy said no because Lavine is pretty one dimensional.
He’ll score and perhaps fans see that’s what the Warriors need right now but that’ll simply get you into the playoffs perhaps, but you won’t win anything once you’re there.
Wiggins defense is pretty good and that’s something you can count on from him. He’ll guard the number one player on the other team every time and that type of thing wins playoff games.
Also, Zach Lavine‘s contract at that time had three more years to go so if it didn’t work out, see Dennis Schroder, you were stuck with him.
I think it’s for these reasons that the Warriors held onto Andrew Wiggins at that time.
Is this the real Gary? These are all points I have made about Wiggins on here, I agree, he is a headcase who never stands up when needed – you cant have a #2 like that.
When a championship is on the line and when push comes to shove Wiggins will flat out win you a couple games and be the second best player on a championship team.
…in 2022
Taco, I respect your opinion, but I disagree with it. I’ve seen enough of Wiggins in the fourth quarter of close games during the regular season to justify my criticism.
I’ll tell you that I cringe and walk away from the television if Wiggins is fouled in the last 2or 3 minutes of a close game. That flat free throw is not going to gently drop in no way no how in that scenario.
Andrew Wiggins is the perfect “first 3 quarters” type of player. He can get you 20, but he can’t get you 2.
Gary, how about thinking about Wiggins this way going forward: at $25M/yr, he’s a fairly priced #4 guy on a contending team. He gives ata 21 pts in 36 minute rate, shoots 39% from deep, is a plus, if not exceptional defender, and has high character.
He’s a complementary player. You still need 3 better players than him, 2 of those 3 being much better.
Ari, Yup it was fine when Klay Thompson was himself and Draymond Green ran the offense and the defense. Wiggins was kindly placed in the four spot in the pecking order. It worked well then.
Plus, I think Jordan Poole took a lot of pressure off of Wiggins when he carried the torch those six months when Steph was out and/or working his way back.
Today would be fine also but you need his salary in a trade to exchange for another guy who is hopefully better. Nowadays, your fourth guy making 25 million put you way over the cap and the Warriors will only do that with a stud or two coming in. Mike Dunleavy and I have been searching for that stud for two years lol.
Gary, Ok I see where we don’t see eye to eye on Wiggins. IMO, $27M/yr is right in line for a fourth starter in our current situation, given how much we’ll be spending next year. Below is a what I believe ownership has in mind, which includes acquiring a ~ $30M starter.
I believe that next season, Lacob plans to spend around $215, same ballpark as Denver, Lakers, Wolves, etc and lower than Phoenix, Knicks, and Celtics.
5 STARTERS: ~ $175M
Steph $60M
Kuminga $33M
Wiggins $27M
Draymond $26M
New starter #2 $30M
BENCH : ~ $40M
Moody $12M
Podz $5M
TJD: $2M
Santos $2M
4 more minimum players $9M
Acquiring Vucevic and Cam Johnson probably wouldn’t get the Dubs over the hump this season. Next season though? They’re DOMINATING 90% of the league during the regular season, and are about as close to a shoe-in for a Finals appearance as can be conceivably deciphered without fully knowing how all the 2026 rosters will look. To get Vucevic, you dangle expiring contracts in Looney and Schröder, along with two 2nd rounders. Attaining Johnson is a bit trickier – so you entice your trading buddies in Brooklyn with a CONDITIONAL future first to go along with a resurgent Andrew Wiggins.
Rest of 2025 and all of 2026 seasons……
PG-Curry
SG-JOHNSON
SF- Kuminga
PF-Green
C-VUCEVIC
—————————
Hield, Podz, Moody, TJD, Anderson, maayyyybe GP2, Waters III, Santos, Spencer, Post, 2-ways, DRAFT, FREE AGENCY, OTHER TRADES
HOLY CRAP!! That’s all it takes! It’s DO-ABLE!!
Chosen Dud, I do like your trade proposals and general info posts. Keep them coming.
This one though leaves a bench of g league guys who will be outscored by 25 every quarter.
You’d have to Tom Thibodeau this starting lineup, and that means playing them each 42 minutes to avoid that lol.
You let GP2 walk in the offseason and you either find a taker for Hield or Moody – with just future draft capital returning to you. Looks like you’d have close to 30M freed up to offer Kuminga. If another team goes way over that, don’t match it and let Kuminga leave. Then you use that money for whatever glaring need you have – likely a perimeter defender who will get A TON of open looks behind the arc with Steph, Cam, Nikola and possibly still Hield all in tow. Oh-ho YYYEEEEEAHHHHSSSSS (3’s raining down ALL OVER in Chase Center!)
I didn’t couple your first comment with the second. I thought all those guys were included in the trade to get Cam Johnson so the bench would be empty. But if it’s just a first and Wiggins, that probably is not enough so yeah, the bench would still be depleted after including more players with Wiggins and the first.
Who cares about depleting the bench, we have to raise the ceiling of our top 5.
Gary, you owe it to yourself to check out Cam Johnson’s career stats. He’s very gettable, but he’s not what you think.
He’s having a career year, but he’s got nothing to his game other than three point shooting.
He’s a career 14 ppg guy. Bad availability. Average defender. He plays for a terrible team. Let’s not do Dennis Schroder v2.0
Nets would laugh at that proposal
We want your best player. But, you can’t have any of our top 8 guys and we don’t have any 1st round picks to trade.
2030 swap, 2031 first, Okoro (who is good, elite perimeter defender who has shot league average or better three years running), LeVert, and the five available 2nds for Johnson and Sharpe is about as close as the Cavs can get. I don’t see them as willing to deal that much for a player with Johnson’s injury concerns, nor Brooklyn as being willing to accept that deal when they could get two firsts clean.
Cam’s 28 and has had one good season in a bad team. A first, a young role player and filler.
Taco, thank you, that’s exactly the right evaluation and consideration in exchange. (You are in especially fine form today!)
Optionally, add 1 or 2 second rounders and remove teh young role player.
Driving up the price for everyone else is wise GMing by the Cavs.
The Warriors go from top 10 to top 4 if they get Cam and Vooch. Everyone knows this. Why are they dragging their feet??
Davey!!! I accidentally hit the thumbs up under your comment after I read the first line.
I quickly realized my mistake when I read your second line and deleted it.
What’s wrong now? You have a strong attachment to GP2 and Looney? Is this the real Gary? Did you like your own reply?
Liking my own reply would give it 4 thumbs up. I’m going to do that now because it’s worth another one lol.
I don’t like my own comments .., only you and El Don Always Wrong to do that.
What’s wrong now is that this isn’t pick up Ball down at Campbell Park. You can’t keep two spots free when you have next and there’s 100 guys waiting on the cement steps or sitting in the grass.
You want to pick up two of the losers and immediately plug them in without cost when the game ends but that’s not how it works in the NBA.
What’s wrong is I don’t think there’s any way you can fit Johnson and Vuch and not give up key parts of your team.
How could the Warriors possibly bring those guys in without trading away Wiggins, Draymond Green, and maybe another key role player plus the necessary scrub contracts?
Vooch can be had for a first, Looney and GP2.
Johnson could be had for Wiggins and picks.
Davey, nobody is giving Chicago a first for Vucevic. They’re not asking for that. He may be having a career year, but he’s 35 years old with a bad contract.
Finney-Smith cost 2 second rounders. So did Schroder.
One second, two at most, gets you Vuch.
Davey – what is it with you and Cam Johnson? At 29 years oldnext month, his career is a testament to mediocrity. He’s never scored more than 16 ppg in his career, averages 14 ppg. Nice player, but hardly a difference-maker. He’d the 5th best starter, at best, on the top 8 teams in the league.
Most teams would prefer Wiggins to Cam Johnson, why would you throw in picks?
It sounds like the Nets are just trying to leverage OKC here with this leak. (As they did by putting the DFS / MEM stuff out)
I think j said back in the offseason, Cam Johnson would be a literal perfect fit for Cleveland, but it should take legit assets to get it done…
This is a good trade idea. Okoro and Caris with two 2nds L for Cameron Johnson. Nets should jump all over this. They would be lucky to get a 1st. Cameron’s contract is horrible honestly
Someone mentioned Memphis which is another good spot for Johnson
So trade for him. Don’t talk about it be about it.
Excellent move ——- Do it. He’s a team guy and plays both ways. A true wing (SF) with size and IQ.
100% for this.
Dude, we’re never gonna beat Cleveland if they do… keep it quiet over there
I’m a basketball fan. He’s a good guy. Yeah I hear ya. I welcome the comp.
Great fit for CLE. CLE is short on draft picks, but so are most of the other CJ suitors.
Everything coming out of BKN suggests Marks will take the best draft pick package that comes with no future contract obligations. Of course, he wouldn’t care if a third team joins the deal and takes on a longer term CLE contract to add to the draft pick booty he gets. CLE can send a 2031 FRP (unprotected), a 2030 swap and a couple of remote SRPs. Two team deal with LeVert and small expiring deal would work.
OVERRATED CAM JOHNSON
Career: 12.6 ppg
Best season: 16.6 ppg
Last season: 13.4 ppg
Highly unavailable:
– 53 games per season over his career
– Never played a full season
Johnson having a career year… just like Denis Schroder.
Johnson is 29 years old this February. When trading for somebody this age, use their career, not current season’s performance.
Johnson’s trade value is 1 FRP, 1 2nd round pick, plus $25M in matching expiring contracts.
No team is offering BKN more than that.
Mikal Bridges got SIX firsts. It all depends on who wants him. If both CLE and OKC are offering 1 FRP, how do you think they get their guy? OKC has a wealth of picks for exactly this reason.
We’re also in a world where QUALITY of pick matters, nobody cares about firsts that are gonna be 25-30th, or are 5 years out w/ protections, etc