The Nets are already on leave, but the future is bright since the franchise has handled the departures of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant perfectly. Already extended, Jacque Vaughn will be able to work in the medium term with a young group, and he already has a very good leader with Mikal Bridges, some veterans like Spencer Dinwiddie and Dorian Finney-Smith, and a very promising strong winger: Cam Johnson.
“Twin” of Bridges, he is a protected free agent this summer, and in Brooklyn, we are ready to match any outside offer to keep him.
“Cam knows how we see things” says GM Sean Marks. “Jacques and I have spoken with him, and we hope he will be back. He’s a great and great guy, on and off the pitch. He has a very big personality, and his intelligence is off the charts. It’s great to be around him, and he brings a lot to this group, and not just on the pitch. »
Constant progress
Arrived with Bridges from Phoenix in exchange for Kevin Durant, Johnson confirmed to the Nets all the good that Monty Williams thought of him. He is a modern winger, complementary to Bridges, and his reading of the game allows him to play in “point forward”. His progress is noticeable since he went from 13.9 points on average in Phoenix, to 16.6 points at the Nets, to finish at 18.5 points on average against the Sixers in the playoffs!
But in Brooklyn, as was the case in Phoenix, we insist on its impact on the locker room. “Everyone sees what he’s wearing on the pitch, but when you see him in the dressing room, it’s really refreshing to be around him, and I hope he’s there.” continues Marks. “But he’s going to have to make decisions, and when the time is right, we’ll definitely have those discussions with him and his agent, and hopefully Cam will be back. It is a high priority for us, there is no doubt. »
A future linked to Mikal Bridges?
Exactly, how does Johnson see the future when he turned down a four-year, $72 million offer from the Suns? “I have to take stock of this subject”he warns “I haven’t fully developed a plan yet. One thing I’ve learned this year, from this summer to today, is that business is business, and everyone acts accordingly. In my case, I will do what my family, my agents and myself deem best for my future. Whether it’s here or elsewhere, I can’t say. All I can say is that I learned to appreciate the people here and that means a lot to me. But I haven’t made a professional decision yet. But there are certainly factors that I study and I feel good in New York”.
Nevertheless, the presence of Bridges will play a lot, and here is what he answers when asked if it will play in his decision. “I would say so… He’s my twin. I never played an NBA game without him. It was with him that I entered the league and it was with him that I got closer. I appreciate this kind of person in my life and he is a good teammate. The opportunity to continue playing with him will therefore be very important. »
| Cameron Johnson | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2019-20 | PHX | 57 | 22 | 43.5 | 39.0 | 80.7 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 3.3 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 8.8 |
| 2020-21 | PHX | 60 | 24 | 42.0 | 34.9 | 84.7 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.3 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 9.6 |
| 2021-22 | PHX | 66 | 26 | 46.0 | 42.5 | 86.0 | 0.6 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 12.5 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 42 | 29 | 47.0 | 40.4 | 84.2 | 0.8 | 3.6 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 15.5 |
| 2022-23 * | BRK | 25 | 31 | 46.8 | 37.2 | 85.1 | 0.8 | 4.0 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 1.4 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 16.6 |
| 2022-23 * | PHX | 17 | 25 | 47.4 | 45.5 | 81.8 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 13.9 |
| Total | 225 | 25 | 44.7 | 39.3 | 84.3 | 0.7 | 3.1 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 11.3 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
