Brooklyn Nets: The ‘Killer’ That Might Be Holding Up a Cam Johnson Trade

ESPN’s Bobby Marks appeared on Yahoo Sports’ most recent edition of The Kevin O’Connor Show to break down a potential Cam Johnson trade.

The Brooklyn Nets wing is the buzziest name ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, with a handful of teams reported to hold interest in trading for his services. Johnson, 28, is having the best season of his career. He is averaging 19.4 points per game on 49.1/41.9/89.8 shooting splits.

Johnson is currently in year two of a four-year, $94.5 million deal. He is making $22.5 million this season, but that's not the only money that needs to be factored in when accounting for a potential trade.

Marks said: “The one thing that’s interesting with Cam is … his salary is terrific, but the one thing I think the league screwed up on with this CBA is the bonuses. The fact that unlikely bonuses can count against the apron is a killer in some scenarios.”

Johnson has $4.5 million in bonuses that need to be factored in. As Marks explains, these apply to the apron, and not the luxury tax.

“You’re not just taking on the [$]22 [million],” he said. “You’ve gotta take on the four and a half million [dollars] of unlikely bonuses.”

Marks added that other players around the league with similar incentives include the Washington Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Khris Middleton. Kuzma's apron salary is $26.5 million because of his unlikely bonuses, rather than $23.5 million, for instance.

The most recent trade rumor concerning Johnson’s future links him with the Cleveland Cavaliers, per a Jan. 17 report from The Athletic’s Joe Vardon. The Nets are rumored to want two first-round picks, plus additional compensation in order to part with the 28-year-old wing. Other teams mentioned around the league in connection to Johnson include the Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Sacramento Kings and Golden State Warriors.

Brooklyn has already been active in the trade market. First, the team dealt Dennis Schröder to the Warriors in exchange for three second-rounders, two-way guard Reece Beekman and De’Anthony Melton. Then, the Nets traded Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Los Angeles Lakers for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three more second-rounders. Brooklyn holds 31 draft picks in the next seven years.

Johnson scored 16 points in 35 minutes during the Nets' Tuesday night 95-99 loss against the New York Knicks. Brooklyn are now 14-30 this season.

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.