Many expected the Brooklyn Nets to have a clear tanking agenda entering Tuesday’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. As has been the case for most of this season, Cam Johnson had a different one.
The Nets entered the game on a five-game losing streak during which their offense ranked dead last. However, Johnson returned from an ankle injury in Portland and brought his team back to life during a 132-114 blowout. The veteran wing scored a team-high 24 points in his first game since Jan. 2 in Milwaukee — Brooklyn's last victory.
Many NBA teams are approaching the point in the season where there are games they can't afford to lose. In the Nets' case, there are games they can't afford to win. With the Blazers a half-game behind them for sixth place in the draft lottery standings, Tuesday was one of them.
However, Johnson and the rest of Brooklyn's players haven't subscribed to that line of thinking.
“I'm proud of the guys. We cherish these wins, and we're gonna keep it going,” Johnson said postgame.
But players don't tank; organizations do. Nets general manager Sean Marks all but admitted this earlier this week.
“We’re building this for hopefully sustainable success. That’s what we want. We want to get to that,” Marks said. “We’re going to have to be systematic with some of the decisions we make. And they may not always be in line with winning the next game or putting the most talent out there.”
Marks' comment made the Nets' decision to bring back Johnson and D'Angelo Russell from injuries vs. the Blazers a head-scratcher. The blowout win shows why, after trading Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, the GM has more work to do if Brooklyn hopes to achieve its draft goals.
Trading Johnson should be his next order of business.
Why a Cam Johnson trade should be Nets' next order of business

Johnson has been Brooklyn's most consistent player and one of the NBA's top wings this season. He's averaged a career-high 19.6 points per game on 50/43/90 shooting splits. His shotmaking, leadership and composure have been vital to the team's offensive success.
The Nets are 0-7 in games Johnson has missed. When he plays, they're 14-19, a 35-win pace that has left Brooklyn on the outside looking in for a top-five pick.
Tuesday's win dropped the Nets to seventh place in the lottery standings, where they would have a 32.0 percent chance at a top-four pick and a 7.5 percent chance at the No. 1 pick. After Marks paid a steep price to reacquire Brooklyn's first-round pick from the Houston Rockets this summer, landing outside of the top five, potentially as low as seventh or eighth, would be a significant disappointment.
With two years left on Johnson's contract at $21.5 million annually, the Nets don't have to trade him. At 28 years old, he's young enough to be a part of the team's next era, should they attempt to take a step toward contention this summer. However, it's unlikely his trade value will ever be higher than it is now.
League executives have pegged Johnson as one of the NBA's most sought-after players amid his career-best season. The Memphis Grizzlies, Sacramento Kings, Indiana Pacers, Orlando Magic, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Golden State Warriors, among other teams, have checked in on the forward's availability. League sources told ClutchPoints that the Nets are seeking multiple first-round picks in a trade.
Trading Johnson now would not only allow Brooklyn to cash in at peak value, it would be a significant step towards bolstering its most precious asset: this year's first-round pick.
Coincidentally, Wednesday marks another landmark day in NBA trade season. Eighteen free agents signed this offseason saw trade restrictions lifted, making 96 percent of the league trade-eligible.
With the deadline three weeks away, trade speculation will ramp up in the coming days. If the Nets hope to maximize their chances of landing a top draft pick, a Johnson deal should come sooner rather than later.