Cameron Johnson

New York Notes: Towns, Hart, Embiid, Nets, Johnson

Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns missed Wednesday’s overtime victory over Philadelphia due to a thumb injury. He has a bone chip in the thumb, which he injured during a loss to Detroit on Monday, but plans to play through it, Peter Botte and Stefan Bondy of the New York Post report.

The thumb is also sprained but surgery isn’t necessary or anticipated, either during or after the season, the Post duo adds. Towns is averaging 25.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game in his first season in New York.

We have more on the New York City teams:

  • Josh Hart called out unnamed Knicks teammates after recent losses for letting “egos” and “individual agendas” get in the way of team goals. Coach Tom Thibodeau said on Wednesday that Hart needs to choose his words more carefully, Bondy writes. “I think oftentimes the next day after you look at the film, you’re putting a mic in front of someone right after a game. And sometimes they may say things, we all may say things that we wish we had not said until you watch the film the next day,” the coach said. “And then there’s usually a pretty good reason why something occurred. So before you say something, you probably should think.”
  • The Knicks are fortunate they didn’t go all in and trade for Joel Embiid when rumors circulated last season about the team’s interest in the Sixers center, Bondy opines. They would have squandered their draft capital and other assets for an oft-injured center still owed $300MM due to his extension without injury protections. Of course, Philadelphia never actually made Embiid available.
  • The games just keep getting uglier for the rebuilding and tanking Nets, as they suffered the worst loss in franchise history on Wednesday. The 126-67 pummeling by the Clippers was also one of the 10 biggest routs in NBA history, Brian Lewis of the New York Post notes. “This is not the time to point or deflect anything,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “It’s time for everybody to own, and I will own first. The guys kept fighting; I don’t think that they quit. And it’s one of those days that you don’t do anything right, you don’t have that right energy and togetherness. But you try and you just need a little bit more focus and all these things.” Cameron Johnson, who could be moved before the trade deadline, missed the second game of a back-to-back due to a sprained right ankle, Lewis adds.
  • With the front office clearing more cap space than any other team for next offseason and hoarding draft picks in trades, the Nets have the flexibility to make a franchise-altering move, Lewis writes for the New York Post (subscription required). The big prize would be Giannis Antetokounmpo if he ever asks out of Milwaukee, as the Nets covet the superstar forward.

Atlantic Notes: Quickley, Boucher, Robinson, Nets

Immanuel Quickley‘s five-year contract with the Raptors features annual base salaries of $32.5MM, with $2.5MM in additional bonuses per year.

However, those incentives, which are based on various individual and team benchmarks, were considered unlikely to be earned this season and will remain that way in 2025/26, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca, who reports (via Twitter) that Quickley won’t play in enough games this season to earn any of his bonuses. That means his ’25/26 cap hit will remain at $32.5MM.

Quickley has dealt with injuries all season long, appearing in just nine of Toronto’s first 40 games in 2024/25. The former Sixth Man of the Year runner-up is currently day-to-day with what the team is calling a left groin strain, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter links). He missed Monday’s game against Golden State and has been ruled out for Wednesday’s contest against Boston as well.

Here are a few more items of interest from around the Atlantic Division:

  • Chris Boucher‘s days with the Raptors may be numbered, given that the 32-year-old is on an expiring contract and probably doesn’t have a place in the rebuilding team’s long-term plans, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Those circumstances make him an in-season trade candidate, but if these are Boucher’s final days in Toronto, he’s making the most of them. As Koreen and Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca detail, the longest-tenured Raptor has averaged 18.3 points in 22.9 minutes per game across his past three outings and led the Raptors to a Monday victory over Golden State with 17 fourth-quarter points.
  • While Mitchell Robinson‘s recovery from an offseason ankle procedure has taken longer than anticipated, Ian Begley of SNY.tv says there’s still a “solid belief” that the Knicks center’s return isn’t too far off (Twitter video link). Begley suggests it could happen in “early February.” Getting a healthy Robinson back to fortify the center spot would probably be a best-case scenario for the Knicks, according to Begley, but he mentions Wizards big man Jonas Valanciunas as a possible trade target to watch if the club isn’t confident in Robinson’s health.
  • Cameron Johnson, who had missed five consecutive games due to a right ankle sprain, and D’Angelo Russell, who had been sidelined for four straight with a right shin contusion, both returned to action for the Nets on Tuesday and led the team to a win over Portland, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Johnson is considered Brooklyn’s top remaining trade candidate, so it was good news for his market value that he picked up right where he left off, scoring 24 points on 10-of-18 shooting in 27 minutes against the Blazers.

Nets Notes: Lottery Prospects, Evbuomwan, Simmons, Russell, Johnson, Watford

From a draft standpoint, the Nets won by losing Sunday night at Utah, but the players weren’t happy with the outcome, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. They scored the final six points of regulation to force overtime, but saw the game slip away as Isaiah Collier drove for a nearly uncontested layup in the final seconds.

“I know this is kind of like a rebuild situation, but we’ve got to go in there like we want to win regardless of what the front office is expecting,” Ben Simmons said.

The Nets have been on a downward trajectory lately that has coincided with management’s decisions to trade away Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith as part of a long-term rebuilding project. They’re 2-10 in their last 12 games and have moved from 15th to sixth in the lottery standings over the past month.

“We should have won but we just gotta keep chopping,” Nic Claxton added. “We’ve been losing a lot, and everybody’s tired of losing. They sat out all their players and we still lost.” 

There’s more on the Nets:

  • Tosan Evbuomwan has been a tremendous addition since signing a two-way contract at the start of the month, Lewis states in a separate story. The second-year forward scored a career-high 22 points Sunday night and was often on the court late in the overtime contest. Evbuomwan is averaging 11.2 points and 4.2 rebounds through his five games as a Net. “Amazing … always under control,” coach Jordi Fernandez said. “Looks like a guy that has been there before and he’s 23. Very happy to see him, keep working with him, keep developing him. He’s doing his job.” 
  • Simmons left the game midway through overtime after exceeding his minutes limit, Lewis adds. He played more than 31 minutes, which is more than the team’s medical staff wants to see considering his recent physical history. “Ben, I’m sure that if I asked him, he wanted to be in, but at the same time, we know where we started this summer,” Fernandez said. “We know where we are at right now. We like the progression, and we’re going to keep doing that. We’re going to do what’s best for him, his body, first and then for the team.” Simmons hasn’t been cleared to play in back-to-back games and will likely sit out Tuesday at Portland or Wednesday against the Clippers.
  • Fernandez couldn’t offer definite return dates for D’Angelo Russell, who missed his fourth straight game with a right shin contusion, or Cameron Johnson, who sat out for the fifth straight time with a sprained right ankle, Lewis adds in another piece. “Yeah, they’ve been doing their work and they’re day-to-day,” Fernandez said. “But we’re happy with what we’re seeing and how they’re working. Obviously they’re with the group. So is Trendon (Watford). And it’s just good to have them around and have some sweat equity and see them work.” Watford, who has a strained left hamstring, isn’t expected to return to action during the current road trip.

New York Notes: Bridges, Knicks, Marks, Johnson

Knicks forward Mikal Bridges first year in New York continues to be somewhat up and down. As Andrew Crane of The New York Post observes, the former All-Defensive Teamer went scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting from the floor in a lopsided recent 126-101 Friday defeat to the Thunder.

“I just gotta make them,” Bridges said of his shooting woes. “I think I’m just short on a lot of them probably these past couple games. I just gotta put a little more lift probably on it.”

Across his last three contests, Bridges has shot just 6-of-32 from the floor.

On the season, the 6’6″ wing is averaging 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, all solid stats. He’s connecting on a just-mediocre 33.2% of his 6.8 three-point attempts per night, however. That represents a career-worst, and Bridges’ first time below 36% since his 2018/19 rookie season.

There’s more out of the Big Apple:

  • The Knicks obliterated Milwaukee, 140-106, on Sunday, but a happy victory hardly erases New York’s recent slump, opines Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post (subscriber link). The team has gone 2-4 across its last six contests, a brutal stretch to follow up a nine-game win streak. Bridges’ recent shooting issues have been a concern, while All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns missed one of those losses with an injury. But it’s tough to excuse the team’s middling effort in its recent blowout loss to Oklahoma City, Vaccaro opines.
  • Nets general manager Sean Marks is angling to capitalize on what’s expected to be a starry 2025 draft class, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Part of that goal includes prioritizing the future over the present, be that trading away veterans or thinking longer-term and not necessarily looking to win games now. Since opening night, Brooklyn has already dealt away veterans Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton in the interest of draft equity and future cap space. “We’re going to have to be systematic with some of the decisions we make,” Marks told Lewis. “And they may not always be in line with winning the next game or putting the most talent out there.” For now, the 13-25 Nets have the sixth-worst record in the league, and thus the sixth-best lottery odds. “To be frank, you’ve still got to get a little lucky,” Marks said. “The hot-button topic has always been the draft. We all know we’ve still got to get lucky. At the end of the day, the Ping-Pong balls are going to drop a certain way.”
  • While there has been some speculation that the Grizzlies could emerge as a real trade bidder for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal remains somewhat dubious, tweeting that the two sides have yet to engage in significant talks with regard to a Johnson trade.

Community Shootaround: First Half’s Pleasant Surprises, Disappointments

The fact that Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball has been able to play in 19 games so far this season is an achievement in itself, given that he missed the previous two-and-a-half years while dealing with ongoing knee problems. As Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps write for ESPN.com (Insider link), what’s even more impressive is how impactful Ball has been during his time on the court.

Although his numbers, including 5.8 points per game on .359/.318/.750, don’t look especially strong, Ball is once again making the sorts of winning plays that don’t show up in the box score. Chicago has a +6.9 net rating when he’s on the court, compared to a -5.0 mark when he’s not.

“Someone is going to get him next year and look smart,” one executive said to ESPN of Ball, who is on an expiring contract.

Ball is among several players identified by Windhorst and Bontemps as the pleasant surprises of the first half of the 2024/25 NBA season. Here are a few more of the names on that list:

  • Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks: “He’s been everything the Knicks were hoping for and more, and his absence has left a larger hole than the Wolves would’ve ever thought,” a scout told ESPN.
  • Cade Cunningham, Pistons: “When the Pistons gave him the max, there were quite a few people who thought it was a risk, and he’s been very strong,” a general manager said.
  • Victor Wembanyama, Spurs: “What he’s doing is just ridiculous,” an executive said. “Say whatever you want about him meeting expectations; if he gets that roster to the playoffs, he should get MVP votes. And he might.”
  • Norman Powell, Clippers: “He’s gotten more minutes and shots, but no one would’ve believed he’d take this leap at this stage of his career,” an exec said to ESPN.

James Harden (Clippers), Dyson Daniels (Hawks), and Cameron Johnson (Nets) are among the others mentioned by ESPN’s duo.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, Heat teammates Terry Rozier and Jaime Jaquez, and Sixers center Joel Embiid are among the season’s biggest disappointments, as identified by Windhorst, Bontemps, and the sources they spoke to. Here are a few more of the players in that group:

  • Paul George, Sixers: “Philly probably knew there was a chance they’d have a rough PG year on this contract but they probably thought it would be year four — not year one,” an executive said.
  • Kyle Kuzma, Wizards: “I know he’s dealt with an injury,” one scout told ESPN, “but I think this has been the most disappointing season of his career.”
  • Scoot Henderson, Trail Blazers: “I thought it was a guarantee he’d play much better this year than last and show some things,” an exec said. “I’ve been wrong. His numbers are down, and the eye (test) confirms it.”

We want to know what you think.

Which NBA players have you been most pleasantly surprised or disappointed by so far this season? Are there any names on ESPN’s lists – or scouts’ and executives’ comments – that you strongly agree or disagree with?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Johnson, Boucher, Yabusele, Embiid

In just two years, the Nets went from being a Kevin Durant-led contender to diving deep into a rebuild, having been projected by oddsmakers to win the fewest games of any team this season, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.

When Durant was a Net, Oklahoma City, Houston and Orlando were among the teams with the worst records. Now both teams are in the top four of their respective conferences. That’s a testament to how fast the league moves, Lewis writes, noting that those young contenders can serve as a blueprint and inspire confidence for Brooklyn’s own rebuild.

Yeah, we’ll get back to that point,Nic Claxton said. “I don’t like to think back about the past. You grow from it, you learn from it, but you want to be in the present and just keep growing in the group that we have now.

Only Claxton, Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe remain from the Durant era. The Nets have made a concerted effort to get younger, trading away Mikal Bridges over the summer and moving Dennis Schröder and Dorian Finney-Smith for draft capital since the season began. Brooklyn looks to be evaluating all its young players currently on the roster with an eye toward the 2025 draft for improvement.

To be frank, you’ve still got to get a little lucky. We all know that,” general manager Sean Marks said. “The hot-button topic has always been the draft. We all know we’ve still got to get lucky. At the end of the day, the Ping-Pong balls are going to drop a certain way. … [And] it’s health, right? It doesn’t matter what team you have, you could have the best players in the world, they’ve got to stay healthy. And you’ve got to be healthy at the right time. We’ve lived that. Some things you can control, others you can’t.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Cameron Johnson hasn’t played in a week after suffering an ankle sprain, but head coach Jordi Fernandez doesn’t think the forward will miss more time and expects him to return during the six-game road trip that begins on Friday, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post writes. The Nets are being patient in their approach with Johnson, who has been one of the bright spots on the team while averaging a career-high 19.5 points per game while shooting 43.6% from deep. Johnson’s name has repeatedly come up in trade rumors this year.
  • Several teams have Raptors forward Chris Boucher on their radar ahead of the trade deadline, SNY’s Ian Begley reports. Begley writes that some within the Nuggets organization, in particular, are fans of Boucher, who entered Thursday averaging 9.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game but has only played nine minutes combined in his last two outings entering Thursday. While the big man is averaging a modest 17.1 minutes per game on the season, he received first quarter minutes in Cleveland on Thursday and finished the game with 23 points and 12 rebounds.
  • Guerschon Yabusele‘s energy and effort have made him a perfect fit for the Sixers, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. While it’s been far from a perfect season for Philadelphia, Yabusele continues to be a bright point while averaging 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game after not being in the league since the 2018/19 season.
  • As part of injury management measures, Sixers star Joel Embiid hasn’t played in back-to-backs this season, something the club is aiming to change in the near future, Pompey writes in another story. Embiid previously stated he might not play in back-to-backs for the rest of his career, but he later walked back that comment.

Nets Notes: Kings Trade Talks, C. Johson, Thomas, Sharpe, K. Johnson

Jordi Fernandez‘s experience in Sacramento makes him a valuable resource for Nets general manager Sean Marks as he engages in trade talks with the Kings, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes in a subscriber-only piece. While the topics might include the future availability of De’Aaron Fox, the more immediate concern is Sacramento’s interest in Cameron Johnson, Lewis adds. The Post reported last summer that the Kings topped the list of teams hoping to acquire Johnson, and his trade value has only increased in the midst of a career-best season.

Brooklyn is believed to be asking for the equivalent of two first-round picks in exchange for Johnson. Lewis suggests that Sacramento could meet that price by offering rookie guard Devin Carter, along with a future first-rounder and other players to match salaries. That’s where input could be valuable from Fernandez, who spent two years as an assistant with the Kings before the Nets hired him as their head coach during the offseason, along with assistant coaches Deividas Dulkys and Dutch Gaitley, who also left Sacramento for Brooklyn.

“I look at the coaching staff and the front office — that relationship and that dynamic — as a partnership,” Marks said. “It’s not something where I’m telling you what to do and you go and do it, or vice versa. This is something that I should rely on them, because at the end of the day their experiences and their interactions with players — whether it’s from other teams or just being on the court — they’re up close. I’m not in the foxhole down on the court with them.

“So it would behoove me to talk to them and rely on their input. And I think, one, it’s being honest right off the get-go at the start of the season. And even before that when Jordi signed up. I mean, Jordi and I had heart-to-hearts of ‘hey, look, we’re going to build this and this is how we’re going to build it. We want to be a partnership together on this.’ So he’s been nothing but fantastic in that realm.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

  • In the same story, Cam Thomas talks to Lewis about the frustration of dealing with another strain of his left hamstring two games after returning from the first one. Thomas is guaranteed another long absence, as he won’t be reevaluated until January 19 when the Nets return from an upcoming six-game road trip. “Me dealing with what I’m dealing with is tough,” he said. “But we’ve still got enough guys in here to play; we’ve got to go out there and keep playing. I’m gonna keep fighting through, keep fighting through it. I’m going to just keep going.”
  • Day’Ron Sharpe posted season highs with 16 points and 13 rebounds in 22 minutes Monday night, Lewis states in a separate story. Sharpe, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, is averaging 9.5 points and 8.0 boards in his last four games while shooting 53.3% from the field. “I feel like I still got some room to go. I just feel like this is the start of it,” he said. “About three games ago, I feel like I really was starting to feel like myself again. Just coming back from the injury and not playing for months, I’m just still trying to figure my way out. And I feel like this is the start of it.”
  • It’s no secret that the Nets are tearing down their roster in hopes of landing a high lottery pick, but the players and coaches have offered a consistent public message throughout the process, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post (subscription-only). “I wouldn’t say it’s hard. We all understand it’s part of the business, and that this is what we signed up for on Day 1,” said Keon Johnson, one of several young players getting increased minutes during the makeover. “But one thing we can control is what’s in front of us. Night in and night out, we don’t know who is going to be laced up. We don’t know who is going to be playing, but it’s just a better opportunity for everybody to be prepared and hope that your number is called.”

Trade Rumors: Collins, Hachimura, Knecht, Johnson, Kings, Nets

Big man John Collins is having a strong season for the Jazz, averaging 17.9 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, with career highs in assists (2.5) and steals (1.1) per game, as well as three-point percentage (43.8%).

While Collins’ contract – which includes a $26.58MM salary this season and a 2025/26 player option worth the same amount, will limit his value on the trade market, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link) hears the 27-year-old has drawing interest from several teams.

However, the Suns aren’t one of those clubs — there have been no talks between Phoenix and Utah about Collins, Gambadoro reports. That’s not a surprise, given Phoenix’s apron-related constraints.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

  • Rival executives have told Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report that the Lakers have shown no interest thus far in discussing deals that would involve forwards Rui Hachimura and/or Dalton Knecht. That lines up with reporting from Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who suggested last month that the team viewed Knecht as a long-term keeper and wouldn’t be eager to part with Hachimura.
  • Within the last few weeks, the Lakers, Grizzlies, Kings, Thunder, and Pacers are among the teams that have been mentioned as potential suitors for Nets forward Cameron Johnson. According to Net Income and Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily, one well-placed source said that much of what’s been written about Johnson recently is “completely incorrect.” However, that source didn’t offer any further specifics, per NetsDaily’s duo, who note that there’s plenty of time for the situation to develop before the February 6 trade deadline. NetsDaily also hears from sources that Sacramento has been willing to offer at least one first-round pick for Johnson, but Brooklyn is seeking a more significant return.
  • In a separate story, NetsDaily stresses that the Nets continue to focus on maximizing their cap room for 2025 and aren’t interested in taking on multiyear money in trades. That means, for instance, if the Kings wanted to make a Johnson trade that included Kevin Huerter (who has an $18MM guaranteed salary for 2025/26), it would likely require a third team.
  • In a pair of ESPN articles for subscribers, Brian Windhorst examines the biggest roster holes for 15 potential contenders and explores the odds of each of those clubs making a significant trade, while Bobby Marks and Kevin Pelton identify one trade candidate to watch from all 30 NBA teams.

Stein’s Latest: Johnson, Vucevic, Poeltl, Brown, Olynyk, Ball

The Nets have already dealt Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. Could forward Cameron Johnson be next?

Citing league sources, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article that the Pacers are a team to watch in terms of Johnson’s next destination. Brooklyn is looking to clear as much salary as possible for the offseason and Johnson is in the second year of a four-year, $94.5MM contract.

Johnson, who is averaging career highs in points (19.5) and assists (3.0) per game, could fortify the Pacers at the wing position. The Grizzlies have also been mentioned as a likely Johnson suitor, though Stein notes that they might not be inclined to deal with the Nets. Memphis had extensive talks with the Nets regarding Finney-Smith before he was dealt to the Lakers and there were said to be “hard feelings” between the two teams about how those discussions played out.

The Kings have held trade talks with the Nets regarding Johnson, but aren’t willing to part with rookie guard Devin Carter, who made his NBA debut on Friday after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Here’s more from Stein:

  • The Raptors have turned aside inquiries regarding center Jakob Poeltl, Stein reports. The big man is averaging career-bests in both scoring (15.4 PPG) and rebounding (10.7 RPG) and is signed through at least 2026, with a player option for ’26/27. Bruce Brown and Kelly Olynyk are considered the veterans that Toronto is most open to trading prior to the February deadline.
  • While it’ll be difficult to move Zach LaVine‘s contract, the Bulls are expected to deal center Nikola Vucevic and possibly Lonzo Ball prior to the deadline, says Stein. Vucevic is averaging 2o.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, while Ball is on an expiring contract and has made a respectable comeback from his long-term knee issues. As Stein notes, the Bulls have incentive to tank. If they finish with the league’s sixth-worst record or below, it’ll guarantee that they’ll hold onto their pick in this year’s June draft. Chicago owes a top-10 protected pick to San Antonio.

Nets’ Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson To Miss Time With Injuries

Nets guard Cam Thomas, who missed over a month in November and December due to a left hamstring strain, sustained a new strain in the same hamstring during the team’s game on Thursday vs. Milwaukee, the Nets announced today (Twitter link via Brian Lewis of The New York Post).

According to the club, Thomas will be reevaluated following Brooklyn’s upcoming West Coast road trip. That trip begins next Friday in Denver and runs through January 19 in Oklahoma City. So even if Thomas is ready to make his return after that trip – which is hardly a lock – he’d miss the Nets’ next nine games.

It’s a discouraging setback for a player who is looking to build his case for a significant payday as a restricted free agent next summer after not agreeing to terms on a rookie scale extension with the Nets prior to the 2024/25 season. Thomas has been Brooklyn’s leading scorer when healthy, averaging 24.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 32.3 minutes per game across 19 outings (17 starts), with a shooting line of .448/.375/.876.

In addition to not having their top scorer available, the Nets will be missing their second-leading scorer for the next few games as well. According to the club, forward Cameron Johnson is expected to be out for at least the next three contests due to the right ankle sprain he sustained on Thursday against the Bucks.

Brooklyn’s next three games are at home, vs. the Sixers on Saturday, the Pacers on Monday, and the Pistons on Wednesday. According to today’s announcement, Johnson will be reevaluated before the team heads out West next week for its six-game trip.

Johnson is the Nets’ top trade candidate, so making sure he’s fully healthy in advance of this season’s February 6 deadline will be a priority for the team.

In addition to their updates on the two Cams, the Nets stated that Trendon Watford, who is on the shelf with a left hamstring strain, has resumed individual on-court workouts and will be reevaluated in one week. Watford hasn’t played since December 16.