The whispers are getting louder. Throughout the offseason, the San Antonio Spurs have been a rumored trade partner for the Brooklyn Nets, specifically targeting the Nets’ forward Cameron Johnson. The most common name bandied about as a potential player coming back to Brooklyn in a hypothetical Nets-Spurs trade is that of soon-to-be 25-year-old swingman Keldon Johnson.
Over the past couple of days, the rumors of a potential Cameron Johnson for Keldon Johnson swap have grown louder around the internet. While whether the two teams have actually discussed a trade and what a potential framework of a trade may look like aren’t clear, it’s a match that has certainly been gaining steam.
Who is Keldon Johnson?
The Spurs’ Keldon Johnson is a versatile player who, at 6-foot-5, 220 pounds, can play either the two or the three with efficiency. Drafted as the 29th overall pick of the first round in 2019 Johnson was on a clear upward trajectory from the 2019-2020 season through the 2022-2023 season. That upward trajectory culminated in an impressive stat line of 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game in 2022-2023 on 45.2% shooting from the field and 32.9% from deep.
In 2023-2024, Johnson’s offensive production took a step back as he took a back seat to rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama as his usage rate declined from 27.9% to 21.9% and his shots per game went down from 17.7 to 12.5 per game. Despite the reduced offensive role, he still posted 15.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game stat line and saw his efficiency carry over from one year to the next posting a true shooting percentage of 58.1% in 2022-2023 and 58.0% in 2023-2024.
Defensively, Johnson is a sturdy perimeter defender who can leverage his strength and length to lock up opposing guards and forwards. His 6-9 foot wing span helps him bother opponents and gives him ample opportunity to disrupt passing lanes while also being a threat on the boards.
Overall, Johnson is a player with a versatile offensive skill set who can make plays on offense with or without the ball in his hands. He owns a career 35.8% mark from downtown which is slightly above average and is also comfortable making plays for either himself or teammates with the ball in his hands driving to the basket. At his young age, those skills are still developing and make him a perfect second scoring option. He signed a 4 year $74 million contract last offseason which puts him on a below-market deal for the majority of his prime.
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How Keldon Johnson fits the Nets
We’ve talked a lot about how the Nets have a logjam at the forward spots and a very thin and mostly veteran guard rotation. Swapping Cameron Johnson for Keldon Johnson alleviates some of that to a point. While Keldon Johnson isn’t a natural point guard, he can play both shooting guard and small forward which would open up some minutes for some of the more small/power forward hybrid wings the Nets are looking to develop.
Defensively he’d give the Nets some much-needed size in the backcourt and his defensive prowess would be a plus next to some of the smaller, more offensive-minded guards they employ. His versatility on this end of the floor would also help as he could play up in the lineup and take on opponents’ top offensive options.
Beyond 2024-2025, he’s exactly the kind of young vet who is still ascending which makes him a perfect fit for the rebuilding timetable. Like Nic Claxton, his contract means he may still be on the team when they are ready to contend and his age means there’s still some room before he reaches his potential ceiling. Overall, he’s the perfect near-star caliber player who can positively impact both ends of the floor while still being young enough to unlock previously unseen potential.
A trade package might be complicated
The many reasons Keldon Johnson is an attractive trade target are exactly why a trade package for him is complicated. He’s a younger and better player than Cameron Johnson so a one-for-one swap isn’t likely to happen. Both players fill different roles, but it’s hard to believe that just because Cameron Johnson can play the four San Antonio would give up Keldon Johnson that easily.
How the Nets balance the scales to pull off a trade will be interesting. Brooklyn is in the business of acquiring future draft assets, not trading them away, but that might be what is required to pry away Keldon Johnson. Fortunately, the Nets have more than enough future picks to make that happen without greatly sacrificing their future draft advantages, however, the question would be how much would be required and ultimately if Keldon Johnson would be worth the price tag.