MIAMI — With a lot of the Nets’ opening-night offense both injured or traded away, Cam Johnson has shouldered increasingly of the offensive burden.
That’s been underscored by how different groups have begun treating Johnson, those going through the Nets beginning to blitz him and those inquiring about him.
However with the Nets rebuilding — 11-16 getting into Monday’s tilt towards the Warmth — creating the gamers they’ve and maximizing those they transfer are what this hole yr is all about.
The Put up had reported that not solely have been the Nets getting calls about Johnson however that league sources projected him to have the best worth amongst Nets veterans on the commerce block, e.g. Dennis Schroder (earlier than he was dealt away) and Dorian Finney-Smith.
Now, studies cite Sacramento and Oklahoma Metropolis as events.
Johnson — averaging 19.1 factors on 48.8 p.c taking pictures, 42.2 p.c from deep — is within the midst of a profession yr. He’s been tasked with utilizing his gravity and creating playmaking abilities to create for others.
And Johnson has even been the Nets’ first offensive possibility with main scorer Cam Thomas sidelined since Nov. 25.
However with Schroder traded away final week and Finney-Smith out Saturday, Johnson was on the prime of Utah’s scouting report. It didn’t go effectively.
Johnson was trapped repeatedly, and regardless of managing 18 factors and 5 assists on 7-for-15 taking pictures, he was simply 2 of 9 from deep and dedicated six turnovers making an attempt to squeeze passes by means of unfamiliar home windows.
“The one thing — obviously good job on them for blitzing CJ — but six turnovers to five assists, it’s not good enough,” coach Jordi Fernandez mentioned. “The intentions have been good, he was throwing the move to the brief roll. It was simply the execution was not good.
“For the most part, he knew what we’re supposed to do, he’s just never been in that position. Every time Cam Thomas has been blitzed, we’ve got a clean execution out of it. If you turn it over every time, or a lot of times you got blitzed [it’s bad]. In the second half, he was better, but those turnovers, for sure we paid for it.”
Fernandez is true; Johnson hasn’t skilled that earlier than. Whereas with Phoenix, he was used virtually solely as a catch-and-shoot possibility, stationed within the corners to house the ground for Devin Booker and Chris Paul.
He’s expanded his recreation below Fernandez, taking part in extra off the dribble and all of a sudden changing into environment friendly on handoffs. However being blitzed is new, with the departure of Schroder and absence of Thomas.
And whereas Johnson has punished doubles, he needed to learn the way to take action. He’d been on a scoring binge final season when he first confronted fixed blitzes in Atlanta on Dec. 6.
Johnson managed simply six factors on 3-for-10 taking pictures with 5 turnovers, however he and the Nets grew from the expertise.
Now, Johnson and his teammates should make the identical changes.
“Giving them credit, [but] I think our guys should know. If they don’t, it’s my fault,” Fernandez mentioned. “However we must always have identified the way to house the ground versus blitz, particularly the center of the ground.
“For the most part, when we executed right we had the shots that we wanted. Obviously, turning it over is not what we’re supposed to do, and we’ve got to be better.”
After all, it’s necessary to recall the Nets are rebuilding — actually, tanking — and the endgame is a excessive lottery decide.
Nevertheless it’s additionally to develop their tradition and their roster. That features mid-career improvement, like Johnson has proven.
And opposing groups have seen that.
The Thunder are reportedly monitoring Johnson’s availability, per Bleacher Report.
In the meantime, the ahead is of “significant interest” to the Kings, with Finney-Smith intriguing Fernandez’s outdated staff “to a lesser degree,” in keeping with The Athletic.
Each a greater participant and on a pleasant contract the subsequent two years (every simply 13 p.c of the cap), Johnson would fetch a better return than Finney-Smith.
That’s partly because of his improvement, which is meant to be what this rebuilding season is about.
