Nets May Have Missed Perfect Opportunity By Not Trade Cam Johnson

Johnson has taken a dip in production after Brooklyn didn't move him at this year's NBA trade deadline.

Feb 26, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) reacts after getting called for a foul in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets may already be suffering the effects of a quiet NBA trade deadline in the form of their star forward, Cam Johnson. He was nearly moved at this year's trade deadline after months of rumors and reports of teams interested, but Brooklyn never agreed to an offer. In fact, the Nets were never actively shopping, but rather merely fielding offers, which upset many fans hoping for a reset.

The Nets can always trade Johnson this summer, but there are risks that come with not taking the opportunity before Feb. 6. The first is, of course, injury, but the other reason is a potential dip in production, which could hurt trade value. Unfortunately, that could already be taking place with the 28-year-old.

Johnson was averaging 19.3 points on 48.8% shooting from the field and 41.7% from three before the trade deadline. Since then, his season averages have dropped to 18.8 points on 47.0% from the field and 39.6% from three. Over his last nine games, the 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 16.9 points on 40.0% from the field and 30.0% from three.

Brooklyn could be in trouble if Johnson continues to slip like this. It seems like the best time to trade him was at the deadline, as teams were starting to get desperate with offers and the Nets held so much leverage with his initial performance. Now, other teams could make the valid point of asking for less due to his decline.

There's still plenty of time for Johnson to get back on track, but for someone who was known to be one of the most efficient role players in the league up to that point, it's definitely concerning. The Nets need to decide what direction they want to head in because it seems like they weren't completely sure after Johnson was kept through the deadline.

While Brooklyn is technically in the hunt for the Play-In Tournament, being 2.5 games back from the 10th-seeded Chicago Bulls, the team is likely to go all-in on a rebuild with four first-round picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. In order to accelerate the rebuild, the Nets should move Johnson, but his value could continue to shift based on his most recent stretch of games.

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