Keon Johnson Putting Together a Productive Season for the Nets

The Brooklyn Nets haven't had much to stand on this season, as the team sits with a 14-32 record. While they aren't at the very bottom of the NBA standings, the Nets have struggled mightily this season, as expected.

After last night's 104-97 loss to the Miami Heat, Brooklyn has now lost six in a row and is 1-9 in its last 10 games. The Nets are focusing on the rebuild after choosing to sell their veterans and focus on developing the young players.

The young core in Brooklyn is highlighted by Cam Thomas, Noah Clowney, and Jalen Wilson, however, one player not named has put together a surprisingly productive season after nearly not finding a roster spot in the NBA.

Keon Johnson, the 22-year-old guard from Tennessee, is averaging 9.2 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in an increased role this season. Johnson joined the Nets last season but only appeared in five games, splitting time between Brooklyn and its G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets.

This season, Johnson has appeared in 44 games after signing a two-year, $4.5 million contract this past offseason. While the shooting splits have not been up to par, he's starting to put together a solid stretch of games.

The young guard has put up 42 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four steals over the last two games, shooting 45.7% from the field. Within his last 10 games, Johnson has scored 20 or more points in four of them.

Part of the reason for Johnson's surge in production has been his increased role. He's averaging 22.3 minutes per game this season but has seen a boost to 27.1 over his last 10 games. This is his highest minutes average since his rookie season when he averaged 25.5 with the Portland Trail Blazers.

Johnson has had an up-and-down career through less than four seasons in the league, having been released and waived multiple times despite promising production early in his career. However, the 22-year-old is finding his footing with the Nets, even if the shooting splits are inefficient. He is expected to be one of the pieces within the young core, as he has a team option this summer.

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