OKC Thunder Linked To Brooklyn Nets Forward Cam Johnson

The NBA Trade Deadline is quickly approaching. With over half the league now eligible to be dealt, and a deal around done in Brooklyn, the leaks from here on out will come fast and furious. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a mountain of assets and one of the league's best teams, despite its notoriously tight lips they will inevitably be tossed into rumors.

As the NBA Trade fodder heats up, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been linked to its first player. On Thursday night, NBA Insider Jake Fischer went on a Bleacher Report livestream titled ask me anything. After being peppered with questions, Fishcher revealed the Thunder have been a team with interest in Brooklyn Nets forward Cam Johnson.

"I have heard Cam Johnson potentially having interest from OKC, I have heard that," Fishcher said "That is one thing I will say before we get out of here."

The interest in Johnson from the Oklahoma City Thunder, if this report is true - which Fishcher did nail OKC's interest in Isaiah Hartenstein - makes all the sense in the world.

This roster is already crowded with plenty of picks coming down the pike. A consolidation trade for a roster upgrade would not be the worst thing in the world for a team that feels they can win a title this season, which the 21-5 Thunder clearly can.

Johnson has played in 25 games for the Brooklyn Nets this season to the tune of 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 stocks per game. The Nets forward is shooting 48 percent from the floor, 43 percent from beyond the arc and 86 percent at the free throw line.

The 28-year-old would be exact what the doctor ordered. A 6-foot-8 210 pound forward that is not a capable shooter but rather a consistent sharpshooter. Johnson is shooting 42 percent on catch-and-shoot looks, 65 percent at the rim and is even producing 1.539 points per possession as a cutter.

Johnson fits the Thunder's style of play perfectly. He is in the midst of a four year $94 Million pact, with two seasons left on his deal.

The Thunder have all the resources to make this deal happen, it would come down to salary. There are a few ways to make the salary work. One would be by shipping out Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe. Though, the two do not have to be combined, but one of Joe, Wiggins or Kenrich Williams must be included as a starter to a trade.

For example: A combination of Dillon Jones and Nikola Topic works financially with the inclusion of Wiggins, leaving Oklahoma City to kick in some picks to sweeten the pot. The Thunder could also simply combine Ousmane Dieng and Wiggins.

Another way to make it work contractually would be to toss in Kenrich Williams with Ousmane Dieng and Nikola Topic which works be swapping out one forward for a maximized version of another while delivering the Nets an interesting prospect along with a flyer.

While moving on from either Wiggins or or Joe or Kenrich Williams would be a tough move, Sam Presti himself is quoted to say "Scared Money don't make money," and this move would push Oklahoma City closer to a championship on paper. Especially if Mark Daigneault prefers not to play the Maryland product in big games for defensive purposes.

Johnson is leaps and bounds a better defender than either and gives Oklahoma City more size as well as a shooting threat at the forward position.

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