Tyler Johnson has been a solid player for the Miami Heat, but there have been some questions if he is worth the big payday he is about to receive.
His salary is jumping from $5.9 million to $19.2 million, and there have been some questions if the Heat would try to trade him to open up some much-needed cap space. The problem for the Heat, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, is that there is no trade market for his services.
We reported previously that Tyler Johnson’s contract — which will pay him $19.2 million each of the next two seasons — has a 15 percent trade kicker — amounting to $2.9 million — if he’s traded. There isn't much optimism internally about being able to move that contract.
Johnson has been good for the Heat, but he only started about half the games he played in last year. $19.2 million for a backup point guard is a lot of money. Johnson was asked by Anthony Chiang of the Palm Beach Post if the extra money coming his way meant more pressure for him, and Johnson doesn't think that's the case.
“It don’t bother me. It’s just a nicer paycheck when I go home. It’s no bother to me, though. I know for other people maybe on the outside looking in, it’s: ‘This guy is not worth what that is.’ But I would say, the Heat wouldn’t have matched that contract if they didn’t. It was all laid out from the get-go. So it’s not like a surprise. It’s not like salaries are unveiled every year. It’s been known what it was going to be. It’s not any added pressure to me. Maybe it is to everybody else who thinks I should be this or that.”
Johnson might not feel more pressure, but if the Heat aren't able to trade him this offseason, they are going to need him to step up and be a bigger part of the team's offense.
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