While many Brooklyn Nets have exceeded their expectations in the early portion of the 2024-25 NBA season, few have done so to the extent of Cam Johnson.
Johnson, who was acquired as part of the Nets trade for Kevin Durant, signed a four-year extension last summer and was expected to, along with his “twin” Mikal Bridges, be key pieces in a Nets rebuild. However, after struggling last season, only averaging 13.4 points per game
and shooting 44% from the field, as well as the trade of Bridges to the Knicks, many were concerned if Johnson could find his form again.
Although it is early into the season, Johnson seems to be doing just that.
Johnson started in each of the Nets’ first 12 games of the season, averaging 16 points — three more than last season. He is also shooting 47% from the field, which would be the best clip of his career. Additionally, he became the first player in NBA history to play more than 30 minutes and commit zero turnovers in seven consecutive games. Across those seven games, Thomas averaged 3.4 assists per game.
After being criticized by many as a liability for the Nets last season, Johnson has been a large reason why the Nets have exceeded expectations in the early goings.
The biggest criticism surrounding Johnson’s game to this point in the season has been his three-point shooting. While his field goal percentage has increased, his three-point shooting has dipped. Johnson is shooting 37.6% from beyond the arc. To make matters worse, he is shooting 1-of-17 on fourth-quarter three-point attempts.
However, with his defensive presence and increased playmaking ability, the pros have outweighed the cons for Johnson thus far. The big question that will obviously surround the Nets all season is what direction they will end up taking. If they continue to stay in the playoff hunt, then their direction could change. But if Brooklyn, which was 5-8 entering Sunday night’s clash with the Knicks, starts losing and struggling to find results, trading many of their players becomes a more attractive option. Johnson will certainly be one player that pops up in those discussions.
The question of what the Nets could potentially get for Johnson is an interesting one. He is under contract for between $21 million and $23 million per year for the next two seasons. Trading Johnson could potentially land the Nets draft picks or potentially a player that the management could either keep or trade for more picks.
