THE Brooklyn Nets ruined everything this offseason by sending star forward Mikal Bridges to the The New York Knicks in exchange for a barrage of draft picks, but the rebuild may not be complete yet.
Bleacher Report Eric Pincus established a “realistic dream trade goal” for each NBA team, suggesting that Sacramento Kings expected to target Nets forward Cam Johnson.
Johnson, 28, was a key part of Kevin Durant’s blockbuster that led to Bridges and Johnson being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Nets. Since arriving in Brooklyn, Johnson has averaged 14.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game on 45.3/38.5/81.6 shooting ratios.
The 6-foot-8 sharpshooter and former 11th overall pick saw his production decline in his first full season as a Net, but his potentially reduced trade value could help any team looking to make a move for him.
CAM JOHNSON POSTER ON EMBIID 🔥 pic.twitter.com/3nv6wKc8aN
— NBA TV (@NBATV) April 18, 2023
Pincus suggests the Kings could look to trade Kevin Huerter and a backup to bring in Johnson, which could be a good move depending on who that backup is. In a down year for Huerter, he averaged 10.2 points and shot 36.1 percent from outside, while Johnson’s down year included 13.4 points per game and 39.1 percent from three-point range.
The Kings could consider bringing in Johnson as a backup. It would be redundant to have him play alongside Keegan Murray, a younger, better version of that archetype. But a potential upgrade over Trey Lyles would certainly be in the cards.
Johnson is entering the second season of a four-year, $94.5 million contract that the Kings would have difficulty affording. For reference, Huerter makes about $30 million less over four years.
The Nets are known for being stingy when it comes to trading key players, so their asking price for Johnson may ultimately be too high for the Kings. But it wouldn’t hurt if Monte McNair made that move.
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