Not much upside is expected out of the Utah Jazz, so it's pretty standard that their veteran guard, Joe Johnson, is probable to be traded or bought out soon.

Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer wrote in his column Wednesday that according to sources, the Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be frontrunners to get the 36-year-old vet should a buyout occur.

“It’s been reported that Jazz guard Joe Johnson will be bought out if he’s not traded before the deadline, and two front-office sources have cited the Thunder as a leader for Johnson. When the Nets waived Johnson after the 2016 deadline, the Thunder were one of the teams to pursue the veteran. Even though Johnson, now 36, has regressed, he could still offer needed bench scoring.”

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Of course, the Thunder will still have to compete with several teams for the coveted service. Johnson brings a lot to the table, and every contender would be glad to add his presence to their roster. He will be providing shooting, leadership, playoff experience, and most importantly, clutch play, which is what “Joe Cool” has been most noted for in the last several years.

Having Joe Johnson could help OKC have a more steady threat from beyond the arc. Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Carmelo Anthony could then focus more on what they do best — attacking the rim and playing from the perimeter.

The Thunder are currently 18th in made threes per game (10.2) and 25th in 3-point shooting percentage (35.2), both of which are one of the lowest among their co-playoff teams.