Since the end of last year, the Nets ‘ Cameron Johnson has been on the league’s popular trade list. From a “tank” perspective, Johnson’s performance was too good for the Nets at that time. According to statistics, when he missed games, Brooklyn had 0 wins and 9 losses, so much so that the team did not object to trading him to avoid hindering the tanking cause, and many of them were involved in the rumored teams, especially the Oklahoma City Thunder. The discussion was the loudest.
There are reasons for this. From the perspective of Thunder reinforcements, Johnson is indeed a perfect candidate for the current situation.
Career-year performances that meet the need for reinforcement
The 28-year-old Johnson has delivered the best results of his career this season, averaging 19.6 points, 3 assists, 0.5 blocks per game, 59.8% shooting, and 42.8% three-point shooting, both career highs, especially the quality of the three-pointers. A sharpshooter, he takes 7.6 shots per game and has a three-point shooting rate of over 42%, currently ranking 17th in the league.
There are only two players ahead of him in accuracy who have taken more shots than him. Compared to the Thunder’s three-point shooting percentage, which is “only” 18th in the league and is one of its biggest weaknesses (last year’s playoff loss to the Mavericks, and He lost to the Bucks in this year’s mid-season championship, and his miserable three-point shooting caused serious injuries). He can definitely be a helper.
This also talks about Johnson’s shot pattern. About 74% (5.6 times) of three-point shots come from “Catch & Shoot”, which further illustrates his off-ball shooting skills without occupying too much ball rights. The cut-and-pass offensive style dominated by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams is likely to be a perfect fit in terms of opening up the space. This is what the Thunder are eager to upgrade now.
In fact, whether in the Suns or the Nets, Johnson has proven early on that he is quite willing to play the role of a secondary green leaf next to the main general, and he is competent and happy.
Versatility beyond shooting without the ball
Johnson is not just a shooter. With a height of 6 feet 8 inches, he is also a high-end wing with outstanding skills in the modern era. In addition to shooting this season, he has also shown a stronger and more stable shooting ability under the basket, and is more willing to enter the penalty area. In addition, he also has the ability to become the third ball-handling attacker in addition to Alexander and Williams. Point ability, this is also a part that is still relatively lacking in the Thunder’s arsenal.
At the same time, his height can also make up for the shortcomings of the Thunder’s current lineup. In the main rotation, there are two 7-footers in Isaiah Hartenstein and Chet Holmgren, who is still injured. Under the long man, the height of the Thunder’s striker dropped to about 6 feet 6 in one breath.
