B/R says Nets’ toughest free-agency decision will be Cam Johnson’s contract
While this season is still very much alive for the Brooklyn Nets, forward Cam Johnson’s contract will be the toughest decision that Brooklyn makes in free-agency, according to Bleacher Report. Johnson is in the last season of his rookie contract that he signed in July of 2019.
Johnson came to Brooklyn by way of the Kevin Durant trade. Since he came to the Nets, Johnson is averaging 16.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 46.9% from the field and 37.5% from three-point land. The only issue is that Johnson’s long-range shooting hasn’t been as good compared to what he was shooting from three during his time with the Phoenix Suns (45.5% in 2022-2023, 39.6% for his career).
With that being said, Johnson has been showing his ability to be more than just a long-range shooter as he is expanding his game to include dribble drives and creating opportunities for his teammates. Part of the decision when it comes to Johnson is not if the Nets want Johnson, but what his price will be. According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, Johnson will command at least $18 million per year. Here’s what B/R had to say about the situation:
“Brooklyn profiles as a taxpaying team if it gives Johnson a starting salary of $18 million. And that’s operating under the assumption it renounces Seth Curry. The Nets can make other moves to skirt the tax if they don’t try to accelerate their post-Kevin Durant retool. But this isn’t just about the overall cap sheet.
Johnson is 27. A four-year deal takes him through his age-30 season. It isn’t clear whether that fits the Nets’ timeline. Even if it does, they might blanch at paying $20-plus million annually to a pure 4.
Then again, Johnson’s offensive bag may be too enticing to simply let walk. He provides high-volume, functional shooting and has flashed an in-between game and the capacity to put the ball on the deck.
Other teams know this, too. That should drive up his ask. Unless his age proves prohibitive to cap-space teams who could use a forward (Indiana, Utah, Oklahoma City), Johnson should get puh-aid. Any offer sheets upwards of $20 million per year could render his return to Brooklyn far from a given.”
