Nets' asking price for Cam Johnson trade revealed
Yesterday at 06:13 PM
On Thanksgiving eve, the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Phoenix Suns on the road, 127-117, to win their third game in a row. Since that scrappy display in the Footprint Center, the team is 5-17 and has lost three or more straight games four different times. The feisty start to the season feels like a lifetime ago, with injuries and the Dennis Schroder trade leaving the squad painfully depleted (only Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson have played at least 35 of a possible 41 games). The roster could get even thinner.
While it is true that the Nets (14-27) are only four games behind the Chicago Bulls for the last slot in the NBA Play-In Tournament, they are not going to accomplish anything of note this year, at least not from a standings perspective. It might be time for management to strongly consider initiating a full rebuild.
Sending Schroder to the Golden State Warriors in December pushed that process forward, but as long as Cam Johnson remains in Brooklyn, the bulldozers will not take their metaphorical aim at the franchise. Polarizing general manager Sean Marks is not rushing to deal the 28-year-old forward or center Nic Claxton, considering they are both under contract for the next few years, but he will move them for the right rate.
And evidently, it is a steep one. ‘”The Nets’ asking price is high,’ one league executive said, referring to both Johnson and Claxton,” ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst reported. “And they [have made] it known they don’t feel like they have to trade them now. But if they’re helping them win games, they’ll trade them or put them on the bench.”
The Nets must figure out their future plans
Even following Brooklyn’s rapid descent, Jordi Fernandez’s group still owns a better record than six NBA teams. It might take an all-time tank job to land Duke sensation Cooper Flagg at this point. Brooklyn’s grit is a beaming ray of light amid a gloomy hoops campaign, but it might also cost the organization a shot at a premium prospect this summer. The only way to encourage such a mindset while simultaneously limiting its effect is to trade impactful players.
Cam Johnson falls under that category. He is scoring a career-high 19.6 points on 49.9 percent shooting from the field and 42.8 percent 3-point shooting. The 2019 lottery pick is also averaging 4.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33 games. He is gaining valuable experience as a top option but can also revert back to his role player days with the Suns if necessary. Ergo, Johnson should be an attractive trade asset.
Marks is seemingly inclined to use all the leverage he has as a means to maximize return value. The Nets have a few weeks to formulate a solid plan before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. Regardless of when moves are made, they must make them count.
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