Will Johnson's buyout lead to the downfall of LeBron's Cavaliers?
The Brooklyn Nets have begun negotiating a buyout with Joe Johnson, their starting small forward who's set to earn an astounding $24.8 million this season. What does this mean? The 34-year-old is likely headed to a playoff team:
But digging a little deeper, if Johnson does not sign with LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers—a team that's long shown interest in bringing him aboard—is he good enough to tilt the Eastern Conference in a different team's favor?
The surface answer is "no way." Johnson is far past his prime, averaging 11.8 points per game and barely shooting over 40 percent from the floor. His PER has never been lower and his turnover rate has never been higher. He's a stiff on defense.
So, why so much interest?
Johnson is averaging 13.4 points and shooting 46% from 3 since Jan. 1. Brings professionalism and history of clutch shooting to a team #Nets
— Mike Mazzeo (@MazzESPN) February 25, 2016
Perhaps that explains it. Every playoff team in the league could use more shooting (even the Golden State Warriors) and he'd be a pretty nice fit in Boston or Miami (two of the five least accurate three-point shooting teams in the league). The Raptors rank third in three-point percentage, but Johnson is a crunch-time upgrade over what's already there, especially if DeMarre Carroll's knee doesn't heal in time for the postseason.
Should James have reason to worry if Johnson signs with Boston, Miami or Toronto? Probably not. His focus is on the Warriors, and it's hard to picture any other team emerging from the East unless James goes down with a serious injury.
