Former NBA star Joe Johnson is planning to return to the BIG3 League for the 2020 season. He had a strong 2019 campaign with the league.
Veteran swingman Joe Johnson will return to BIG3 for the 2020 season after failing to make an NBA comeback. According to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Johnson will rejoin the Triplets to defend their championship.
Johnson had a tremendous 2019 season with the BIG3, leading his team to the championship and winning the BIG3 MVP Award. He also led the league in points (175), assists (31), and field goals (63). After his spectacular performance with the BIG3, several NBA teams showed interest in signing Johnson. He worked out for the Brooklyn Nets, Detriot Pistons, and the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Detroit Pistons eventually signed Johnson to a non-guaranteed contract in September 2019. However, he only averaged 3.8 points in 15 minutes in the preseason. The Pistons ultimately decided to waive Johnson in October 2019, prior to the start of the NBA season.
Johnson was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 2001 and played for nine different teams. The 38-year-old forward averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists in his career in the NBA. Johnson was also named an All-Star seven times in his NBA career.
During the 2017-2018 NBA season, Johnson played for the Houston Rockets, where he appeared in 23 games. He played poorly with them averaging a career-low 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists.
Nonetheless, the BIG3 certainly has the potential to be a league where basketball players can showcase their skills in hopes of joining an NBA team. Johnson was the first BIG3 player to vault back into the NBA. However, Joe Johnson's NBA comeback attempt didn't exactly work out. The BIG3 season is scheduled to start in late June.