There is a good chance that veteran shooting guard Joe Johnson’s stay with the Sacramento Kings may not last long. Johnson was sent to Sacramento after being part of a three-team trade that involved the Utah Jazz, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Sacramento, but is reportedly seeking a buyout from the Kings. According to Kelly Ilko of ESPN, at least a few title contenders are eyeing the possibility of adding the 16-year pro to their fold should Johnson secure a buyout.
https://twitter.com/KellyIkoNBA/status/961722570931400704
Johnson is long past his prime, but the 36-year-old swingman is still a capable scorer, who could deliver in minimal minutes off the bench. That quality plus his experience could make a contender such as the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, or the Oklahoma City Thunder even more dangerous come the playoffs.
Joe Johnson has not averaged in double-digits scoring in a season since 2015-16, but he has stepped it up in the playoffs during that span; Johnson averaged 12.1 points in 14 playoff games for the Miami Heat during the 2015-16 season and 12.9 points in 11 games in the postseason last year for the Jazz.
So far in his career, the former Arkansas Razorback is averaging 16.2 points on 44.2 field goal shooting percentage, 4.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. Johnson missed plenty of games this season due to a wrist injury, appearing in just 32 games. During that frame, Smokin’ Joe put up just 7.3 points on just 42.0 percent shooting from the floor while playing in just 21.9 minutes per outing.
At this point of his career, it makes sense for Johnson to focus his attention on trying to get an NBA title that has eluded him ever since being selected 10th overall by the Celtics in the 2001 NBA Draft.
Follow Us
Subscribe