Emerging as a key scoring weapon on the perimeter for the Brooklyn Nets after being traded from the Phoenix Suns this past season, Cam Johnson received interest from several teams as a restricted free agent. However, the Nets were never prepared to let Johnson go this offseason, which is why he is heading back to Brooklyn.
According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Johnson and the Nets have agreed to a new 4-year, $108 million deal that keeps Johnson as one of the main contributors for this team. Along with Mikal Bridges, Johnson is now under contract with the Nets through the 2025-26 season, as Johnson will be in the final year of his deal during the 26-27 season.
Both Bridges and Johnson were focal points in the massive trade deadline deal this past season involving two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant. In 25 regular season games with Brooklyn, Johnson ended up averaging 16.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game while shooting 37.2 percent from three-point range.
Known for his shooting abilities on the perimeter and as a secondary rebounder, Johnson looked very comfortable over the course of the last two months of the regular season with the Nets. Now, he will be one of the faces of the franchise moving forward.
Cam Johnson's fit with Nets' future
The 11th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, Johnson began his career in Phoenix and played a big role in the team's run to the 2021 NBA Finals. Always having to play behind the likes of Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton with the Suns though, Johnson was never really able to showcase what he could do as a primary scoring option.
With the Nets, Johnson stepped into a bigger role alongside Bridges and proved that he can not only make plays from the perimeter, but run in transition and get to the rim as well. This is one of the main reasons why Brooklyn viewed re-signing the 27-year-old forward as a priority for them in the offseason.
Despite suffering a torn meniscus early on this past season, Johnson has shown no limitations in his game and at least ten points in all but two games he played in with the Nets.
Brooklyn finds themselves in an interesting spot this offseason, as they still remain a team who can contend for a playoff spot even though they traded away All-Stars such as Kyrie Irving and Durant. Bridges and Johnson are two of their primary scoring options and this team carries a lot of depth at the forward position in the new league year, which is why veterans such as Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith are viewed as possible trade candidates.
While they could look to bring in another star player, the Nets seem very comfortable utilizing Johnson as one of their primary building blocks both now and moving forward. He figures to hold a big role offensively once again and the Nets are hopeful that Johnson will have yet another season in which he shoots above 40 percent from three-point range.
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