Joe Johnson is no longer a good fit for the lowly Brooklyn Nets. With his career winding down, he deserves to be with a contender. But who?
By Chip Murphy
That plan failed spectacularly and contributed to the Nets current state. As much as Johnson insists on his predilection for Brooklyn, winning trumps all.
New general manager Sean Marks didn’t waste any time getting started after missing the trade deadline. The Nets waived Andrea Bargnani after it was reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein that the two sides were in buyout negotiations.
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If Marks wants to mop up the mess that old GM Billy King created, Bargnani and Johnson are a great place to start.
Like a majority of the team, Johnson was held back by former head coach Lionel Hollins but his improving play under interim head coach Tony Brown makes him more attractive trade bait for other teams.
In Brooklyn Johnson’s a starter averaging 34 minutes per game but he can’t handle that kind of work load anymore. Given the chance, he could be a great asset off the bench in a reduced role for a better team.
Let’s take a look at the five teams that could use Joe Johnson.
5. Toronto Raptors
The Raptors were reportedly (via Brian Windhorst) attempting to deal with the Nets for Thaddeus Young before the trade deadline expired, but negotiations eventually fell through.
Toronto is the No. 2 seed in the Eastern conference but are not considered a threat to the mighty Cleveland Cavaliers.
Without a timetable on the return of DeMarre Carroll the Raptors need scoring help on the wing. Johnson won’t give them the production that Carroll would, but he could give them 10 points per game off the bench.
As Johnson has aged he’s leaned more on the three-pointer and is currently making shots at a 37 percent from downtown-his career average. The Raptors are third in the NBA in team three-point percentage and could use another gunner.
4. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls were supposed to become a more offensive-oriented team this season under new head coach Fred Hoiberg.
Instead they are still relying heavily on their defense while struggling to score. Chicago is 25th in offensive rating and 29th in effective field goal percentage with only four players averaging double-digit points.
Simply put, they need scoring.
The Bulls have nothing to lose by taking a chance on Johnson at a discounted price. They would benefit from the transaction if he can provide some scoring punch at the small forward position.
3. Memphis Grizzlies
Johnson was linked to the Grizzlies during the 2014-15 trade deadline but no serious talks ever occurred.
Memphis traded two of their top wing players — Courtney Lee and Jeff Green — and replaced them with Lance Stephenson, a huge question mark.
Despite Marc Gasol’s broken foot, the Grizzlies still remain the fifth seed in the Western Conference and hope for a playoff run. Even before their star center went down, Memphis was having trouble scoring. They are 21st in offensive rating, 27th in effective field goal percentage, and 22nd in three-point percentage.
Despite their impressive record the Grizzlies have a negative margin of victory, ranked 16th in the league.
The Grizzlies are notorious for falling short on the offensive end during the playoffs and if they think Johnson could help them through those struggles, he may end up in Memphis.
2. Miami Heat
The Heat are the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference but they are far from the championship contender that they always expected to be.
This is especially true with Chris Bosh potentially out for the rest of the season after suffering another blood clot.
Miami is 26th in offensive rating, 28th in three-point percentage, and just 14th in margin of victory, but without their best offensive player those numbers will only worsen. If there is any player in the league that Johnson can find score with on the wing, it’s Dwyane Wade.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers are not only the defending Eastern Conference Champions, but also the favorites to repeat. The Cavs couldn’t be more all in to win a championship this season.
That makes Cleveland the best fit for Johnson. They won’t be worried about adding a little extra salary and if he can help LeBron James or J.R. Smith, he’ll be worth the risk.
Cleveland already has a dominant offense — 4th in o-rating and 5th in effective field goal percentage — but one offensive category where they actually sit outside the top-10 is in three-point percentage.
Johnson should be an asset in that inevitable championship fight against the Golden State Warriors.