NBA NEWS: Lakers Poised To Finalize Trade for $105 Million Brooklyn’s Sharp Shooter Today, According to NBA Trade Rumors… SEE MORE DETAILS…
As the Lakers endure a sluggish offseason, they continue to be associated with players who could enhance their prospects in several important aspects. Alongside speculation about acquiring Jonas Valanciunas at the trade deadline, the team is also still a contender for a forward from the Eastern Conference.
Brett Siegel from ClutchPoints reports that the Lakers are part of a group of teams interested in acquiring Nets forward Cam Johnson. According to Siegel, “Cam Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Bojan Bogdanovic are the three forwards currently seen as the most likely to be traded. Among these players, Johnson is attracting the most attention.
Besides the Kings, who have expressed interest, the Rockets, Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and San Antonio Spurs are also teams reportedly linked to the former first-round pick, according to sources.”
In 58 games (47 of which were starts) for the Brooklyn Nets, the 28-year-old averaged 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 0.8 steals per game. He also had shooting percentages of 44% from the field, 39% from beyond the arc, and nearly 79% from the free-throw line. Johnson signed a four-year contract worth $94.5 million last summer.
However, with the Nets now focusing on a rebuild, there is a possibility they might look to trade him to accumulate future assets. Despite his underwhelming performance as a starter, salary cap expert Yossi Gozlan maintains that Johnson’s contract remains a good one.
“Although he didn’t meet the high expectations of many Nets fans, I still believe it’s a solid contract. Getting a starting role and earning in the low 20s is a pretty good deal.”
Johnson’s size and perimeter shooting present clear advantages for the Lakers, who need versatile 3-and-D wings—among other key positions—to stay competitive in the Western Conference. Over his five NBA seasons, Johnson’s lowest three-point shooting percentage was 34.9% during the 2020-21 season with the Phoenix Suns.
With the Lakers emphasizing the need for shooters to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis, acquiring a sharpshooter like Johnson could be a step in the right direction. However, there are significant drawbacks to consider.
The primary issue with adding Johnson is his reliability. Although James and Davis managed to stay mostly healthy last season, injuries to other players hampered the team’s success. Johnson’s 58 games played for Brooklyn last season was the third-highest of his career, behind 66 games in 2022 and 60 in 2021 (both with Phoenix).
Last year, he dealt with a series of leg injuries and a toe sprain, which caused him to spend more time with the second unit toward the end of the season. The Lakers might hesitate to trade for a player who hasn’t yet completed a full 82-game season. Additionally, with 26-year-old Rui Hachimura outperforming Johnson as a starter, the Lakers might be even less motivated to pursue him. And given the Lakers’ concerns about avoiding the second apron tax threshold, acquiring a $23 million player might not be the most strategic move.
Nevertheless, if Rob Pelinka decides to explore adding another solid rotation player, it could be worth reaching out to the Nets about Cam Johnson. While he might not be the game-changer that some Laker fans hope for, he could address a gap in the team’s offense and fit well into JJ Redick’s system.
