After trading away Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, much of the conversation surrounding the Brooklyn Nets' revamped roster centered on Mikal Bridges. However, lost in Bridges' breakout stretch was the production and growth of his “Twin,” Cam Johnson.

In 29 games with Brooklyn, Johnson averaged 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.3 steals on 47.5 percent shooting. The 6'8″ sharpshooter struggled to find his three-point stroke early in the Nets' new-look offense. However, he caught fire down the stretch, shooting 45 percent from deep over his last 10 regular season games.

That hot stretch carried over to the playoffs, where Johnson played some of his best basketball of the season. The 27-year-old was the Nets' most efficient source of offense during their first-round series against Philadelphia, averaging 18.5 points on 50.9 percent shooting from the field and 42.9 percent from three (7.0 attempts per game). That included a 22-point first half on 9-of-13 shooting in Game 2 at Philadelphia.

Johnson's diverse shot chart during the first-half explosion exemplifies his growing offensive potential: four threes (one catch-and-shoot, one pull-up), three mid-range pull-ups, and two drives for dunks, one of which was a vicious poster over Joel Embiid.

With increased on-ball responsibilities in Brooklyn, Johnson attempted more shots in the mid-range and at the rim than any season in his career. He converted on 47 percent of those mid-range attempts, ranking in the 83rd percentile among forwards.

At 6-foot-8 with elite shooting and growing three-level scoring ability, Johnson's ceiling appears to be on the rise. He touched on his increased offensive responsibilities with the Nets during his exit interview:

“I think the change did facilitate some of the growth,” he said. “I would not put a cap on myself and what my abilities can be, what my role can be as a player. I believe I still have a lot of levels of that stuff that I can achieve and improve upon. I think it will be a continued emphasis for myself personally to create more, to rebound more, to defend better, to have my fingerprints on the game in more ways than one, and then be able to do those things at a high level and still be able to shoot the ball at a high level. So that’s where I anticipate my game going and I work towards it every day.”

On the defensive end, the North Carolina product uses his quick feet and 6-foot-10 wingspan to guard across multiple positions. An area of focus for Johnson this summer will be adding muscle to his slight frame. At just 210 pounds, he struggles to defend and rebound against bigger bodies. For reference, Royce O'Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith, two of Brooklyn's most physical defenders, weigh 226 and 220 pounds, respectively. Both are shorter than Johnson.

There's not much question that Johnson can be a starter on a high-level playoff team. But can he grow into an All-Star caliber player? Is his self-creation on offense legitimate enough to make him a high-end third option? These are questions executives will be asking with Johnson set to hit restricted free agency this summer.

Johnson's future is among the top storylines of Brooklyn's offseason. He is expected to garner interest from multiple teams on a deal as high as four years, $90 million. The Houston Rockets are among the teams expected to pursue the forward, according to the Athletic.

Re-signing Johnson would push the Nets into the luxury tax for the fourth straight season. Teams with a payroll exceeding the tax line three times in four years are subject to the repeater tax, meaning they are taxed $2.50 per every dollar of salary over the tax line. That figure increases to $2.75, $3.50, and $4.25 for every additional $5 million.

Despite this, general manager Sean Marks said retaining Johnson is “a big priority” this summer. And while Johnson was non-commital about re-signing with Brooklyn, he spoke highly of the organization. He also said remaining teammates with Bridges will play a factor in his decision-making.

“I'm really excited. I think we have great pieces,” he said. “I think we have competitive guys, winners. I think that means a lot in the league and I'm excited. I'm excited for the future, and I'm excited to see everybody's individual and collective growth this summer.”

Overall, Johnson struggled out of the gate but stepped up down the stretch with Brooklyn battling for the sixth seed. He was then one of the few Nets who consistently produced during the series against Philadelphia. Like Bridges, an expanded role with Brooklyn allowed him to flash his growing offensive repertoire. Johnson is going to be a high-level starter for someone next season. The question is: will it be the Nets?

Cam Johnson's 2022-23 Grade with Nets: B+