Cameron Johnson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Cameron Johnson Expected To Be Reevaluated Next Week

January 28th, 2025 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Nets forward Cameron Johnson will likely miss the team’s two-game road trip in Charlotte on Wednesday and Houston on Saturday, according to head coach Jordi Fernandez, who told reporters on Monday that Johnson continues to battle a right ankle sprain that has already cost him 10 games this month.

“He’ll be reevaluated, I think, next week. He’s out right now,” Fernandez said prior to Monday’s game vs. Sacramento, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. “Obviously we want him to get that ankle right.”

Johnson was originally sidelined for five games due to a right ankle sprain he sustained on January 2. He returned on Jan. 14, but missed the Nets’ next two contests after that. After playing again on Jan. 19 and 21, he went back on the inactive list for Brooklyn’s past three games. Fernandez suggested on Monday that when Johnson returns, the Nets want it to be for good.

“He was good when he came back, it’s just like he tweaked it again twice. And again, it’s unlucky, but we just want to make sure that now it’s strong enough that he’ll be able to play through things and he’s 100 percent,” Fernandez said. “Obviously, we want him back. We love having Cam Johnson, because you guys know his leadership and also the impact he has for us, but right now this is the situation that we have to deal with.”

A week-to-week injury for a player on a 14-33 team clearly headed for the draft lottery isn’t typically the sort of story we’d monitor too closely, but Johnson is considered one of the NBA’s top trade candidates ahead of next Thursday’s deadline. After this week, the Nets only have two more games before that Feb. 6 deadline arrives — next Tuesday vs. Houston and Wednesday vs. Washington.

While it’s possible Johnson will make it back for one or both of those games, it also wouldn’t be a shock if Brooklyn plays it safe and holds its second-leading scorer out a little longer so as not to risk another setback while the club is discussing potential trades.

The Nets’ asking price for Johnson – who is under contract through 2026/27 – is said to be high, with the front office reportedly seeking multiple first-round picks. If potential trade partners aren’t fully confident about Johnson’s health, it would compromise Brooklyn’s ability to try to extract that sort of return.

In other Nets injury news, big man Noah Clowney exited Monday’s loss in the second quarter due to what appeared to be a left ankle injury and didn’t return, Reilly notes. Clowney had to be helped off the floor by the training staff.

Additionally, Brooklyn’s top scorer Cam Thomas, who has been out since January 2 with a left hamstring strain, will undergo scans on Wednesday, with the team expected to provide an update following those tests, Reilly writes.

Nets Notes: Durant, Johnson, Clowney, Watford, Williams

January 23rd, 2025 at 9:15pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Ahead of the Suns‘ game in Brooklyn on Wednesday, former Nets star Kevin Durant reflected on his time with the organization. According to the New York Post’s Brian Lewis, Durant said the two biggest factors for why the Nets build with Kyrie Irving and James Harden didn’t work out was the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries that kept the trio from playing together often.

“That first year when James got here halfway through the season was some of the most incredible basketball that I’ve seen, I played in,” Durant said. “But more so than anything — in the locker room, the bus rides, the plane rides, the hotels — that was the culture we were building. A lot of people didn’t get to see it, but I wish they could have. It was special.”

“You see so many fans who still remember those times and appreciate it — even though we went through a lot of dysfunction, I guess you could call it, for lack of a better term. But regardless of that, a lot of people still supported and still came out, cheered loud as hell for the game of basketball and for the Nets,” Durant said. “It was here in this borough of Brooklyn, the little brother. It was always fun being a little brother and representing the little brother in the city.”

Durant eventually requested a trade from the Nets and was moved to Phoenix at the 2023 deadline in exchange for Mikal Bridges (whom they later flipped to New York), Cameron Johnson (who is on the trade block), and several draft picks. Durant expressed positive feelings for the franchise, Lewis writes in another story.

“Definitely, I want to see this franchise do well,” Durant said. “What is it, 12 or 13 picks that they’ve got? Assets, that’s the most important thing with a rebuilding group is the assets. The product on the floor, it might be inconsistent some games. They beat us early in the season and looked great, and then you lose to the Clippers by 40 or 50 and that might not look great.

“But when you look at the big picture, you’ve got young guys that are getting experience and playing time. You’re building assets and getting future picks. And hopefully you can draft well, put the team together well. So I think they’re walking in the right direction. I think the fans definitely want to see some great basketball on the floor, and I think it’s coming for this team.”

We have more from the Nets:

One could make the case that Johnson could fit in on any of the NBA’s 30 teams, making him one of the most coveted players on the trade block ahead of the deadline, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Johnson is averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 41.9% from three this season. As we’ve written, the Nets are thought to maintain a high asking price for Johnson.
After enjoying a hot streak from beyond the arc in late December, Noah Clowney has been misfiring on his shot in recent weeks, Lewis observes. Clowney has knocked down just 33.3% of his shots, including 30.8% of his three-point tries, in January. “The shots I was getting [lately] were not as easy as I had been getting. The shots I was getting before were a lot easier,” Clowney said. “The shots I’m getting now are still easy, though. I’ve got to go out and make some of them. It ain’t much to it.” How the second-year big man handles this adversity will be telling, Lewis opines.
Trendon Watford has missed the last 19 games for the Nets due to a hamstring injury, but it sounds like he’s inching closer to a return. According to Lewis (Twitter link), Watford is progressing well and has been cleared for contact. Meanwhile, Ziaire Williams is day-to-day with an ankle injury. A starter for 16 games, Williams missed Brooklyn’s past two contests.

Atlantic Notes: Springer, Brown, Raptors Trade Prospects, Johnson

January 23rd, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics guard Jaden Springer is considered a prime trade candidate for a team looking to reduce its luxury tax bill. Springer may have enhanced his value with a rare chance to play extended minutes against the Clippers on Wednesday. He had six points and tied a career-high with four steals in a season-high 20 minutes, Brian Robb of Masslive.com notes.

“He’s just got an innate skill to impact the game with his physicality, his defense, and I thought that’s what the game needed at the time,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I think it’s one of the best things you can do in this league is to just deliver when your name is called, regardless of when it is. So it’s a credit to him and the work ethic that he has. I thought it was his defense, his physicality, his presence changed the game for us.”

Springer, who is making $4MM, will be eligible for restricted free agency after this season, though at this point he seems unlikely to earn a qualifying offer.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown is battling through an ankle injury, among other ailments, Robb writes. “Just pushing through,” Brown said. “I think this is definitely the rougher part, physically, during the season. I got some injuries and things like that. But I try to make myself available every night. I’ll make no excuses. But it is what it is. I’m a little beat up. But I’ll be ready tomorrow.” Boston is in the midst of a stretch in which it plays 10 games in 17 days.
The Raptors are well positioned to garner some assets prior to the trade deadline, according to Michael Grange of Sportsnet. They are $10MM below the luxury tax line and haven’t used their mid-level exception. They have made it known they’re willing to facilitate trades and there doesn’t appear to be any players beyond Scottie Barnes and Gradey Dick that they consider untouchable. We passed along a few more Raptors-related notes and rumors earlier today.
Cameron Johnson is trying to tune out all the trade chatter surrounding him, as he told Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Keep my head down. I just try to emotionally disconnect from that,” the Nets forward said. “I have to, for the sake of myself, and invest all that energy into the present and to the team that we have. No matter what happens, the Nets have invested a lot of resources in trying to make me a better player. So my job is to compete for the city, for this team, for this organization, for my teammates.” Johnson has missed eight of the last 11 games due to an ankle injury.

No Recent Talks Between Nets, Kings About Cameron Johnson

January 22nd, 2025 at 5:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings are considered to be among the top suitors for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, but the teams haven’t engaged in trade talks for several weeks, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

A source tells Stein that Sacramento officials currently don’t see a way to complete a deal for Johnson before the February 6 trade deadline. The Kings are pursuing deals with other teams instead of focusing on Johnson, Stein adds.

A weekend report from Jake Fischer at the Stein Line confirmed that the Nets haven’t lowered their price for Johnson, as they continue to ask for two first-round picks and a young player. Earlier this month, Stein stated that Sacramento wasn’t willing to part with rookie guard Devin Carter, and it appears that stance hasn’t changed.

Fischer added that the Cavaliers have called about Johnson, but their interest seems to just be exploratory. He points out that Cleveland doesn’t have a first-round pick that it can trade until 2031, so it’s nearly impossible to meet Brooklyn’s demands.

Stein brings up the Pacers as another team to watch in the Johnson pursuit. However, Indiana has risen to fifth in the East after a recent hot streak, and Stein questions whether the front office would want to break up the current roster in light of its success.

It’s possible that the Nets will hang on to Johnson past the trade deadline and see if better offers arise this summer. He’s in the midst of a career-best season, averaging 19.4 points per game while shooting 49.1% from the field and 41.9% from beyond the arc.

Stein’s Latest: Butler, Beal, Okogie, C. Johnson, Mavericks

January 20th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Jimmy Butler‘s return from his seven-game suspension hasn’t changed the Heat‘s desire to work out a trade before the February 6 deadline, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required).

Butler was back in the starting lineup and played 33 and 28 minutes as Miami split a pair of weekend games, but concerns remain that the relationship will continue to deteriorate if he’s still on the roster past the deadline. Sources tell Stein that the Heat are “exploring every potential pathway” to assemble a multi-team trade to get Butler off their roster.

The Suns remain Butler’s preferred location, but it’s not clear that Phoenix is eager to pursue him or that it has enough assets left to make a competitive offer, Stein adds. Phoenix gave up three second-round picks and got one in return in last week’s trade for Nick Richards. That leaves the Suns with just their 2031 first-rounder and a 2025 second-rounder from Denver to offer in any deal.

The Raptors have been mentioned as a team that might be interested in helping to facilitate a Butler trade, and Stein says a well-placed source told him that “about half the league” has expressed similar sentiments to Miami. He cites the Timberwolves as another club that might be willing to help the Heat move Butler on to his next location in exchange for other assets.

Stein shares more inside information from around the NBA:

League sources confirmed to Stein a report that Butler’s camp hasn’t told the Bucks not to pursue a deal. However, he believes Milwaukee might be more interested in reviving its previous interest in Suns guard Bradley Beal if it’s going to add a player in that salary range. Stein points out that the Bucks can’t trade for either player without dropping below the second apron, which would likely mean trading Pat Connaughton‘s $9.4MM contract without taking back any salary in return.
Some rival teams are questioning why the Hornets were willing to take on extra salary in the Richards trade while only netting two second-round picks, Stein adds. Charlotte acquired Josh Okogie at $8.3MM while parting with Richards’ $5MM contract, a move that will save the Suns more than $20MM in luxury tax. Stein speculates that the Hornets may have another move planned involving Okogie before the deadline.
Stein hears that the Nets don’t feel an urgency to trade Cameron Johnson because they’ve already weakened their team enough for tanking purposes by unloading Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith. Brooklyn is just 4-13 since sending Schröder to Golden State and has moved into sixth in the race for the best lottery odds.
Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison is typically active at the deadline, but Stein doesn’t believe the team’s injury woes will force him into a move. “We look at everything,” Harrison said in a recent interview with Dalton Trigg for his Mavs Step Back Substack (subscription required), “but we’re not going to be reactionary to a short-term injury.”
Discussing the Mavericks, Stein also writes that it would be a “misnomer” to suggest Dallas is shopping center Daniel Gafford. However, he didn’t outright dispute a previous report stating that the Mavs have been willing to discuss the big man.

Nets Notes: C. Johnson, Z. Williams, Evbuomwan, Irving

January 19th, 2025 at 11:20am CST by Rory Maher

The Nets aren’t sure if forward Cameron Johnson will be available for Sunday’s matchup in Oklahoma City, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn has gone 0-9 this season without Johnson, who is officially listed as questionable for the contest as he continues to deal with a right ankle sprain that has kept him on the sidelines for seven of the past eight games.

“It’s too early [to know] right now,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said about Johnson’s availability for Sunday. “He’s doing a great job with trying to get healthy and working every day and being around with the group.

“And that’s what we value the most, is his energy, his voice right now. And he still was doing his job [every] morning, and right now there’s no reason why we should make a decision, right? We want all our guys to be 100 percent healthy, to come back, and whenever the time comes, we will make a decision.”

According to Lewis, Johnson is the “most coveted player on the trade market right now,” but it’s certainly not a lock that he’ll be on the move by the February 6 deadline. Sources tell Lewis the Nets are reluctant to part with Johnson unless they receive two first-round picks or the equivalent in return, suggesting a talented young player on a team-friendly contract could be used in place of one of those first-rounders.

Here’s more on the Nets:

Fourth-year forward Ziaire Williams has drastically improved his outside shot of late, Lewis writes in another story for The Post. In his first 21 games prior to missing 12 contests with a knee injury, Williams had converted just 27.3% of his three-point attempts. However, in the nine games since he returned from the injury, he has converted an impressive 40.8% from long distance on significantly higher volume. “Yeah, man, shoot, they tell me constantly shoot, shoot, shoot,” said Williams, who will be eligible for restricted free agency in the summer. “So, I’ve got to be the one to believe in myself. And yes, it’s good out there. It feels good right now. And I’m just trying to just stay in this rhythm.”
Tosan Evbuomwan inked a two-way contract with Brooklyn at the beginning of the month and has impressed in a regular rotation role off the bench, Lewis adds. The second-year forward has averaged 12.8 points and 4.5 rebounds on .583/.375/.789 shooting over the past six games (24.8 minutes), scoring in double figures in five of those contests.
Kyrie Irving continues to sarcastically criticize the Nets nearly two years after he was traded to Dallas, according to Lewis. “Best trade in the business, baby. We won that trade!” Irving said Friday night after the Mavericks beat the Thunder, 106-98, then repeated for emphasis, “We won that trade! I was bad goods.”
In case you missed it, we passed along several other Johnson rumors yesterday from NBA insider Jake Fischer.

Latest On Cameron Johnson

January 18th, 2025 at 1:28pm CST by Luke Adams

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.

Trade Rumors: Johnson, Claxton, Butler, Suns, Raptors, Sixers

January 17th, 2025 at 11:14pm CST by Luke Adams

Nets forward Cameron Johnson is considered one of the most players most likely to be moved at this year’s trade deadline, and people around the NBA believe Brooklyn will be open to listening on center Nic Claxton as well, according to Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

However, at least one league executive who spoke to ESPN pointed out that Johnson’s and Claxton’s multiyear contracts mean the Nets won’t necessarily be operating with any sense of urgency on the trade market, even with the franchise focused on maximizing its odds in the 2025 draft lottery.

“The Nets asking price is high, and they (have made) it known they don’t feel like they have to trade them now,” that exec said. “But if they’re helping them win games, they’ll trade them or put them on the bench.”

Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas, Trail Blazers big man Robert Williams, and Celtics guard Jaden Springer were some of the other players mentioned as likely trade candidates by sources who spoke to Bontemps and Windhorst. Valanciunas and Williams are veterans who aren’t believed to be part of their rebuilding teams’ long-term plans, while moving Springer could reduce Boston’s end-of-season luxury tax bill.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from across the league:

Discussing Jimmy Butler‘s trade market, an executive who spoke to ESPN made it clear that Pat Riley and the Heat are fully prepared to take their time as they consider all their options. “The Heat don’t have to make a deal with Jimmy until the summer and don’t have to make a decision about the rest of this season until Feb. 6,” the exec said. “They don’t need to do anything in January and that’s how they’re conducting business.”
League sources tell Windhorst that the Suns have discussed using their remaining tradable first-round pick (for 2031) in “various talks around trying to acquire Butler.” Responding to that report, Suns insider John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 stated (via Twitter) that Phoenix hasn’t talked to the Heat about that 2031 pick and wouldn’t want to part with it in a straight-up trade for Butler. While that first-rounder would certainly be extremely valuable if it’s unprotected, it’s hard to see how the Suns could acquire Butler without giving it up — and even if the Suns are willing to move the pick, it’s unclear if that would be enough, given that it would come attached to Bradley Beal‘s unwieldy contract.
The Raptors appear to have some interest in getting involved in a potential Butler trade as a facilitator, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. When I considered Butler trade scenarios in a Front Office article earlier this month, I noted that Toronto makes sense as a possible third team due to the relatively favorable expiring contracts on the team’s books, including Bruce Brown ($23MM) and Chris Boucher ($10.8MM). If they’re incentivized to do so, the Raptors could potentially take on multiyear contracts and flip those expiring deals to Miami.
For now, the Sixers continue to focus on maximizing their potential for the current season, according to Bontemps. However, he acknowledges that stance could change depending on how the next two or three weeks play out. Philadelphia has a 15-24 record, will be without Joel Embiid for at least the next week, and will send its 2025 first-round pick to Oklahoma City if it lands outside the top six.

Cavaliers Interested In Nets’ Cameron Johnson

January 17th, 2025 at 9:38am CST by Dana Gauruder

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.

Scotto’s Latest: Warriors, Vucevic, Centers, Connaughton, Suns

January 16th, 2025 at 12:24pm CST by Luke Adams

After telling reporters earlier this week that he doesn’t want the Warriors to make a “desperate” trade that compromises the team’s long-term future for short-term gain, Stephen Curry clarified on Wednesday that his comments don’t mean he’s content playing on a .500 team that’s not trying to improve.

“Anyone who thinks I’m OK being on an average basketball team is insane,” Curry said, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “Take whatever I said, I still stand on it. But that doesn’t mean we’re not in a situation where we are trying to get better, make appropriate moves that help you do that. (General manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.) knows that. We’ve talked about it. That’s the expectation from me. It doesn’t mean you’re reckless.”

As Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports, Dunleavy and the Warriors are indeed exploring their options on the trade market, with a focus on upgrades in the frontcourt rather than on the wing. Golden State has looked into centers like Nikola Vucevic, John Collins, Jonas Valanciunas, and Robert Williams, according to Scotto, who says the odds of the team making a trade for a forward like Jimmy Butler or Cameron Johnson have decreased.

While the Warriors want to give Curry and Draymond Green a chance to compete for another title, they won’t mortgage their future to make it happen, Scotto writes, adding that the front office still remains reluctant to part with forward Jonathan Kuminga.

Here’s more from Scotto:

Following up on the trade market for centers, Scotto says some NBA executives believe the Bulls could land a first-round pick in a deal for Vucevic, who is having a strong season in Chicago. The Wizards and Trail Blazers are expected to command second-rounders for Valanciunas and Williams, respectively, while Collins’ value is hard to pin down, Scotto notes, given the $26.6MM player option the Jazz big man holds for 2025/26.
Rival executives who spoke to Scotto are monitoring Bucks wing Pat Connaughton as a trade candidate, since Milwaukee could duck below the second tax apron and create more roster flexibility by moving off of his $9.4MM salary. Connaughton is having a down year and holds a $9.4MM player option for ’25/26, so the Bucks would have to attach draft picks and/or cash to move off of him. While the Bucks can’t trade cash as long as they remain above the second apron, they could do so in a trade that moves them below that threshold.
After trading for Nick Richards, the Suns are expected to continue gauging Jusuf Nurkic‘s trade market and trying to figure out a Butler deal as they seek out win-now upgrades, Scotto writes. Scotto points out that role players Royce O’Neale and Grayson Allen would both have positive value as trade chips, but there has been no indication that Phoenix would have interest in moving either player.