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In the aftermath of the Kevin Durant-Kyrie Irving trade fiasco, the Brooklyn Nets actually put together a decent team that was able to make the NBA playoffs and show that a rebuilding process may not be the direction the franchise goes in from here on out.
One of the main reasons for optimism in Brooklyn, outside of Mikal Bridges turning into a legitimate star player, is the team having Cam Johnson in the mix.
Fortunately for Brooklyn, Johnson headed into NBA free agency on Friday afternoon as a restricted free agent, giving the team some leverage in terms of being able to match any offer that got sent his way.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Nets didn’t have to battle teams to get Johnson signed, as they agreed to a four-year, $108 million deal with the forward.
Restricted free agent F Cam Johnson has agreed on a four-year, $108 million deal to stay with the Brooklyn Nets, his agent Steven Heumann of @CAA_Basketball tells ESPN. Nets keep a young cornerstone acquired in deadline deal with Suns.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 30, 2023
Although the Nets aren’t considered a title contender in the Eastern Conference and likely won’t be unless they can bring another star or two into the mix, Brooklyn has a decent roster to mold moving forward with Johnson and Bridges leading the way.
Last season, Johnson only played in 42 games, 25 for the Nets, but he played well when on the floor and saw his numbers go up once he got to Brooklyn.
After landing with the Nets, Johnson averaged 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, shooting 46.8% from the floor and 37.2% from beyond the arc.
As long as Johnson can continue to improve with more time on the floor, the Nets stand to benefit, meaning this contract will pay off.
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