When non-title contenders make a sizable investment in non-superstars, criticism is usually justified. Building a roster by overpaying in NBA free agency instead of stockpiling draft assets can set a team on a trajectory that is difficult to correct. The result can be an organization mired in disarray and stagnancy. The Brooklyn Nets are looking to change the rules, though.

The Nets has been plagued by chaos, disappointment, embarrassment and the occasional overzealous nature we just touched on above. Any big move they do is likely to elicit a heavy dose of skepticism from fans who cannot shake the franchise's recent follies from their memory. With a fleecing by the Boston Celtics in 2013 and a failed super team experiment the last couple years, Brooklyn has unquestionably earned that public ignominy.

But the Nets have remained resilient in the face of all this ineptitude. Mikal Bridges leads an intriguing group that survived enough in the second-half of the season to reach the playoffs. Despite a thorough drubbing by the Philadelphia 76ers, there is a promising plan in place for the future.

However risky and costly it was, the front office had to strictly adhere to that plan in this offseason. And they did. With NBA free agency all but over for the Brooklyn Nets, let's discuss their best move.

Re-signing Cam Johnson

Brooklyn's best move was also their biggest. Now, I am on record of saying that signing solid but unspectacular players to big contracts leads to prolonged mediocrity and financial inflexibility. I castigated the Washington Wizards for bringing back Kyle Kuzma instead of tearing everything down and starting from scratch. The difference, though, is that the Nets have one of the most underrated and well-rounded stars to build around.

Although Mikal Bridges is far from elite, he is a fine centerpiece for this team. His tenacity on both ends of the floor and the expediency in which he assumed a leadership role after being traded from the Phoenix Suns last season make him easy to coach and like. Most importantly, he keeps Brooklyn relevant. Retaining Cam Johnson reinforces the organization's commitment to this new Bridges era.

Johnson, the other notable player acquired in the Kevin Durant trade, is a reliable wing who can be deadly behind the 3-point line and play respectable defense on different spots of the court. Those type of players should not command a 4-year, $108 million contract like the one the 27-year-old inked with the Nets on the first day of NBA free agency last week. His skill set in this modern market, however, requires management to throw caution to the wind.

Particularly, because of the decent crop of talent that is already on the roster. Bridges, Nic Claxton, Dorian Finney-Smith and Johnson are all pieces of a winning team. Title contention is not even a fantasy right now, but adding one superstar can instantly change that.

I know what you're thinking. We have already been down this unforgiving road with Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden. Furthermore, landing such a player will require general manager Sean Marks to probably trade at least one of those guys listed above. And that is precisely why bringing back restricted free agent Cam Johnson makes perfect sense. He can be a part of the Nets' existing core or utilized to gain another All-Star talent to pair alongside Mikal Bridges.

The North Carolina alum is now locked in, which makes him a potentially attractive trade candidate. Executives covet sharpshooters maybe more than any other type of player around the deadline. Johnson has already been a key part of an NBA Finals squad and has only improved since that 2021 run with Phoenix. Despite injury problems, which admittedly bare monitoring, he averaged 15.5 points per game on 47 percent shooting and over 40 percent from distance in 42 games last year.

Brooklyn needs Johnson in order to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference. His precision, versatility and working chemistry with Bridges from their days in the desert makes him an essential component of this revitalization period. A gritty Nets team was sacrificed for a big three last time. There might be another chance for Marks and company to do the same again sometime in the future. Or they can keep the heart and soul of the franchise intact and use their ample draft capital to achieve that end.

In any case, neither door is left open without re-signing Johnson. The $100 million man stands out as a 2022 NBA free agency highlight in a Brooklyn class that also includes potential breakouts Lonnie Walker IV and Dennis Smith Jr. Somehow, total disaster has been avoided and a long-term competitive basketball preserved.

The wounds are still fresh and a contract of this magnitude might even open them up a bit more, but upon further reflection Nets nation should be thrilled to have Cam Johnson in the Barclays Center going into next season.