The Brooklyn Nets are the center of trade speculation as this year's deadline approaches. With the team exceeding expectations during a presumed tanking season, general manager Sean Marks will field offers for several players, most notably Cam Johnson.
Johnson is having the best season of his career while stepping into an expanded role following Mikal Bridges' departure. The 28-year-old has averaged 18.8 points per game on 49/43/91 shooting splits, all career-highs. He ranks third in the NBA in three-point percentage among players attempting over six per game, trailing only Norman Powell and Kyrie Irving.
Johnson is under contract for the next two seasons at under 14 percent of the salary cap. He could be the NBA's most sought-after trade target at this year's deadline.
“I was talking to a GM the other day and said who is the best player you think gets traded before the deadline? The answer that he came to after thinking about it for a little bit was Cam Johnson,” ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on The Hoop Collective.
While the Nets will be active in negotiations, they've maintained a high asking price for Johnson. Brooklyn is seeking at least two first-round picks for the veteran wing, league sources told ClutchPoints. The team also wants to avoid taking on long-term salary in a trade, with general manager Sean Marks prioritizing financial flexibility during a rebuild.
With that, we analyze which teams could emerge as the top suitors for Cam Johnson.
5 teams who could trade for Nets' Cam Johnson before deadline
Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) takes a three point shot against Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller (24) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Potential package: De'Anthony Melton, Gary Payton, Gui Santos, Warriors 2025 first and Warriors 2028 first
The Warriors have been active in trade negotiations over the last year as they attempt to elongate Stephen Curry's championship window. They're among the teams to check in on Johnson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder this season, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. Johnson's elite movement shooting would offer a seamless fit alongside Curry and Draymond Green.
However, a trade for Johnson would be complicated due to the new CBA. The Warriors are hard-capped at the first apron with only $534,000 in space below it, meaning they cannot take in more salary than they send out in a trade. With the Nets unlikely to be interested in Andrew Wiggins' long-term salary, Golden State would have to aggregate three contracts to match Johnson's in a deal.
In this trade, the Warriors stack Melton, Payton and Santos' salaries to reach Johnson's $23.6 million. All three are expiring, allowing the Nets to add a significant chunk to their league-leading cap space this summer. Brooklyn also receives two first-round picks, one of which comes when Curry should be nearing the end of his career.
Potential package: Marcus Smart, Grizzlies 2025 first and Grizzlies 2030 first (option to swap for less favorable of Suns and Wizards)
Memphis has returned to its once-promising form early this season. Led by Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant, the Grizzlies have posted a 17-8 record, the second-best in the Western Conference and the third-best in the NBA. Their early success has come despite average outside shooting, as they rank 17th in three-point percentage (35.4).
The Grizzlies could push to contend this season and next while they have Jackson Jr. on one of the league's best-value contracts. A trade for Johnson would bolster their offense, opening more driving lanes for Morant and post-up opportunities for Jackson Jr. and Zach Edey.
Marcus Smart hasn't made the impact Memphis expected since joining the team during the 2023 offseason. The veteran guard, who recently moved to the bench, ranks eighth on the team in minutes (21.3 per game) and scoring (9.6 points per game). He'll enter the final year of his contract next season at $21.6 million. In this one-for-one trade, the Nets take on Smart as a salary-filler while receiving two first-round picks, the second of which includes a swap option.
San Antonio Spurs
Potential package: Harrison Barnes, Hawks 2025 first and Mavericks 2030 first
No one would mistake the Spurs for a contender. However, it's safe to say they will face pressure to take a step in that direction with Victor Wembanyama in the coming years. San Antonio ranks 22nd in three-point percentage and 18th in offensive rating this season. Cam Johnson would add experience and elite floor-spacing around the team's superstar big man.
San Antonio leads the NBA with 12 tradable first-round picks. Harrison Barnes, who the Spurs acquired this summer while helping the Sacramento Kings facilitate a DeMar DeRozan sign-and-trade, is a sizable salary that can be used as a filler in a deal. The 32-year-old will be on an expiring $19 million contract next season, opening the door for him to negotiate a buyout with Brooklyn.
This one-for-one trade allows the Nets to avoid adding long-term salary while picking up two first-round picks.
Potential package: Cole Anthony, Gary Harris, Nuggets 2025 first (Top-5 protected) and Magic 2027 first
Adding floor-spacing around Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner was the Magic's priority this offseason. While they signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency, they rank dead-last in three-point percentage (30.9) this season. Despite their abysmal shooting and injuries to Banchero and Wagner, the young squad has posted a 17-10 record, the third-best in the Eastern Conference.
A trade for Johnson would add another versatile three-point sniper around the Magic's star forward duo. His secondary shot-creation could also help Orlando stay afloat while Banchero and Wagner recover from oblique injuries.
In this deal, Brooklyn takes on Cole Anthony and Gary Harris as salary fillers. Anthony is under contract for $13 million next season before a team option in 2026-27, and Harris has a $7.5 million team option for next season. While the Nets don't receive much in the player department, they come away with two first-round picks, including a 2025 first they could package to move up in this year's draft.
Potential package: Aaron Wiggins, Kenrich Williams, Heat 2025 first (Top-14 protected) and Nuggets 2027 first (Top-5 protected)
Related Brooklyn Nets NewsArticle continues below
The Thunder remain atop the Western Conference standings early this season. After last year's second-round exit to the Dallas Mavericks, it wouldn't be surprising to see them make an aggressive push to solidify themselves as the top threat to dethrone the Boston Celtics. It's unclear whether Oklahoma City will be willing to add significant long-term salary to its books, with extensions for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams looming.
However, Johnson's elite movement shooting would add another dimension to the Thunder's offense, which ranks 19th in three-point percentage (35.0) this season. Oklahoma City has 10 tradable first-round picks and several mid-sized contracts to match salary without touching its core.
In this potential deal, the Nets get Aaron Wiggins, who is averaging 9.5 points per game on 45/39/80 shooting splits in 2024-25. The 26-year-old is under contract for $35.5 million over the next four seasons with a descending structure, a deal that should age well. Kenrich Williams, who has one year left on his contract at $7.2 million before a team option in 2026-27, is used as a salary filler.
Most importantly, the Nets get two first-rounders, including a lottery-protected 2025 pick from the Heat, which will be unprotected in 2026 if it does not convey.
The Lakers have been rumored as a potential trade partner with the Nets for the last two transaction cycles. However, as a first-apron team, they cannot take back more salary than they send out in a deal. Their lack of expiring mid-sized salaries beyond D'Angelo Russell, who they wouldn't trade without acquiring another guard, complicates a trade for Cam Johnson. Further, they have only two tradable first-round picks, which general manager Rob Pelinka has held tightly up to this point.
Russell and Rui Hachimura for Johnson and Dennis Schroder is a framework that could make sense. However, the Lakers would need to part with both of their first-round picks and likely multiple seconds to pique the Nets' interest.
The Rockets would have plenty to work with in negotiations for Johnson. They have mid-sized expiring contracts in Jeff Green and Jae'Sean Tate to match salary in a deal, as well as several young prospects. Houston holds the Western Conference's third-best record despite ranking 26th in three-point percentage (33.0). Johnson's elite floor spacing would significantly boost the team's 16th-ranked offense.
However, the Rockets have frequently been rumored as a destination for stars in the coming years. With four tradable first-round picks, it's unclear whether they would use a portion of their draft capital for a player of Johnson's caliber. To lighten the overall number of picks they would need to send out, they could offer to relinquish their swap rights on Brooklyn's 2027 first-round pick.
Cleveland has the NBA's top record with a known desire to add wing shooting around its core four of Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen. The Cavaliers have had interest in Johnson dating back to his Phoneix Suns days, league sources told ClutchPoints. They have Caris LeVert's $16.6 million expiring salary, which they could package with Georges Niang ($8.5 million) or Dean Wade's ($6.2 million) contracts to reach Johnson's number.
However, Cleveland falls short in the picks department, with only one tradable first-rounder (2031).