Confirming recent reporting from ESPN, Jake Fischer writes at The Stein Line (Substack link) that Brooklyn’s asking price for forward Cameron Johnson is indeed high and that the team doesn’t feel compelled to move him by February 6.
According to Fischer, in their conversations with certain teams about Johnson, the Nets have sought as many as two first-round picks to go along with a young player. It remains to be seen whether any team will meet that price. If not, the question will be whether Brooklyn ultimately decides to make an in-season deal for a slightly more modest return or opts to hang onto Johnson into the offseason.
Here are a few more updates from Fischer on one of the NBA’s top trade candidates:
- Following up on a report from The Athletic identifying the Cavaliers as a team with interest in trading for Johnson, Fischer says that interest appears “preliminary at best.” While Fischer confirms that Cleveland inquired on Johnson, he’s not sure the Cavs have the assets to appeal to Brooklyn, since they can only trade one first-round pick and it wouldn’t convey until 2031. People around the league believe the Cavs are more likely to make a minor move that reduces their luxury tax bill, Fischer notes.
- Fischer is prepared to cross the Thunder off of the list of suitors for Johnson after having reported himself last month that Oklahoma City was keeping an eye on the Nets sharpshooter. While there’s still some chatter around the league about the potential fit between Johnson and OKC, there has been no “credible evidence” that the Thunder have talked to Brooklyn about a deal, Fischer explains. Like the Cavaliers, the Thunder seem reluctant to make a significant move that shakes up their roster and risks disrupting their chemistry, given their success so far this season, Fischer adds.
- The Pacers and Kings are among the teams to continue to watch as possible suitors for Johnson. One Western Conference executive who spoke to Fischer believes a Sacramento package of Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and a first-round pick is viewed by some people around the league as the early benchmark to beat. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Nets would accept that offer if it’s the best one they have at the deadline, but it sounds like it might be the best one they have so far.
Can’t see how the Nets would have any interest in Kevin Huerter. He’s got 2 more years at $18M/yr. Nets wouldn’t play him and nobody else wants him. Sac has been trying to dump him since before last trade deadline.
Nets not taking Huerter. They want more than a pick.
Not sure I believe a word of this. It would be criminal for Sam Presti to not upgrade the Thunder, and stupid.
He did in the offseason. Don’t know if he needs to right now. They look like the best team in the league right now.
For the Thunder who is Cam Johnson and upgrade over? They aren’t going to give up two firsts for someone to backup Jalen Williams.
Luapnor, OKC can’t pay Cam Johnson AND their emerging corp of young superstars.
OKC also has Holmgren and Jaylen Williams up for rookie extensions this summer. That’ll be $90-$100M in added salary. Then SGA has to given a max. Caruso makes $20M, Hartenstein $27M, Dort, etc
Also, OKC’s bench is already loaded with high first round picks, and they’ve got 4-5 firsts in the upcoming, exceptional draft. Most of those players have high upside.
The best offer for Cam Johnson will be Kings. No one is offering 2 first round picks for Johnson.
Remaining Contract:
Johnson $66 million
Huerter $35 million
Kevin Huerter, Trey Lyles, and a first-round pick = Fair Trade
Yeah I am with you. 2 FRPs and a young player is just absurd, but I get it from Nets standpoint, might as well ask for the moon and see if someone gives it to you.
I also think Huerter is still young enough to have a bounce back next year and be another flippable asset as an expiring contract next year.
Teams interested in Johnson are going to be in the 20’s when selecting in the first round, so I don’t blame the Nets to look for two, especially if they’re taking back a crap contract.
Why not? Mikal Bridges netted them 5 1sts.
If the Warriors are unwilling to beat those paltry offers that’s ridiculous.
They have the best shooter in the history of basketball on their team and they are unable to leverage that skill fully because of how offensively inept much of the team is.
If they could put Kam Johnson out there with Steph, Draymond, and a healthy Kuminga come playoff time, maybe they could make a deep run.
That’s worth two firsts for sure.
Warriors need their future 1st round picks because Green and Curry will be gone in 3 years. When they asked for Johnson Nets wanted Kuminga included in the deal.
@arc89 why do they need all these 1st rounders when Podz is 21 and Moody, Santos and Kuminga are 22? Do you want the entire team to be under 25? You need veterans too.
Of all those players you named only 1 is a for sure NBA starter. You are going to need to obtain quality players with a possibility to be all stars.
If the Dubs future without Curry is a game wherein they start Podz and Moody, then they better keep those 1st rounders and if they ever trade them they better be heavily protected.
Jacob, you are over-valuing Cam Johnson. He’s having a career year, but he’s almost 29 years old with a long record to evaluate.
He’s a career 14 ppg player, has never scored more than 16 ppg, misses almost 30 games per year.
Nice player, but nobody is offering 2 first round picks.
Agreed, if its simply 2 firsts and Podz for Cam Johnson, and then another first and GP2 for Vooch, they should make both those deals.
I don’t understand this whole “we need to build for the future” when half the team is already under 25? Why do they need to keep drafting? Develop or trade who you have to make the team better now.
Exactly. Let the Nets pick any 3 of these 4 guys – GP2, Anderson, Hield, Looney – and then trade them two unprotected firsts for Kam Johnson. From the sounds of what you guys are saying, no one is beating that offer, and the Warriors still have plenty of young guys.
Kam is good movement shooter with a high IQ. Curry, him, Wiggins, Kuminga, Draymond is a great playoff crunchtime 5 and the 3-for-1 trade clears up some of the rotation confusion for Kerr.
Opportunity cost
Gsw can certainly obtain Cam ……but after that …… they wouldn’t be able to get anyone for a long time of substance
Is Cam worth that ? I don’t think so personally
Jacob Jackson-
1. Warriors can’t trade 3 for 1 because they don’t have the cap space to add 2 more players. They’d need to get at least 1 minimum-type player back.
2. Unlikely Nets would want Buddy or Anderson because both have multiple years remaining on their contracts. Nets want expirings only. It’s the same reason Nets wouldn’t want Kevin Huerter.
Yet nobody has traded for him thus far…
> Yet nobody has traded for him thus far…
The majority of deals happen very close to trade deadline because that’s when the offers come in, and the seller gets the highest price.
We likely won’t get answers on Vuch or Cam until then.
Nets are not dumping Cam. They can move him at end of yr or at draft ……
I don’t think BKN will deal CJ at this stage unless they get the premium price they anticipate. He’s got 2 more years on his deal (it’s not DFS or DS), and they have no immediate need for the type of assets they’re apparently looking for in return. Marks hunts cap space (expiring deals) and draft picks. But here, there is no immediacy to getting CJ’s cap space back this offseason (he’ll have a boatload of cap space as it is). Likewise, he doesn’t need any more 2025 draft picks. BKN has its own FRP (lottery), and then 3 other FRPs likely to be in the back half of the draft, plus their own SRP (likely high). He’ll likely have to trade 1-2 of those picks forward as it is. CJ is a better asset than more late 2025 picks.