Brooklyn Nets Film Room: Keon Johnson’s Role in Win vs. Memphis Grizzlies

What can Keon Johnson add to the Brooklyn Nets?

Oct 30, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson (45) handles the ball as Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (15) defends during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Keon Johnson played 16 minutes in the Brooklyn Nets' win against the Memphis Grizzlies, finishing with four points, seven rebounds, one steal and a +2 in plus/minus. 

This was an outlier game for him in terms of minutes. In fact, per StatMuse, Johnson had only played 15 or more minutes in six NBA games (of 34 available) since the start of last year before Wednesday night. 

Early in his first season as Nets head coach, Jordi Fernández has proven himself to be adaptable and pragmatic with his rotations. This means that Johnson playing was not just a random decision to fill up minutes with other players missing. 

How did he perform in this unique opportunity?

Johnson checks in for the Nets with 6:28 left in the first quarter in a lineup alongside Ben Simmons, Cam Thomas, Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith. His first bright moment is almost immediate. 

After Cam Johnson misses a floater, Johnson picks up Jake LaRavia and cuts him off in transition. He forces the Grizzlies wing into an errant pass that is almost a turnover. Then, he stays in the play and bothers Santi Aldama’s shot without fouling the Spanish forward. All throughout, Johnson remains engaged and disruptive while making multiple efforts.

The first interesting glimpse on offense actually comes with Johnson not even touching the ball. Memphis are guarding Simmons with center Jay Huff. Johnson, who’s being defended by LaRavia, comes up and sets a slip screen. 

Huff isn’t used to defending those situations, and neither is LaRavia. There’s a defensive breakdown by Memphis, but the Nets can’t take advantage. It’s creative use of both guards, neither of whose strength is shooting, but who can make athletic plays while reading a defense downhill. 

Johnson’s activity level during his 16 minutes on the floor was apparent. In this clip, Johnson screens again — this time for Dennis Schröder — and helps generate a three. 

He stays active around the glass, and gets an easy bucket cleaning up a loose offensive rebound. These guard-guard screening actions could be something the Nets tap into more.

Johnson had a solid game on defense. It was also clear that the Nets wanted him to tap into his aforementioned energy on this side of the ball. 

Throughout the game against Memphis, the Brooklyn guard was picking up full court and guarding with real intensity. Johnson picks LaRavia up full court and hurries him into Noah Clowney’s help. Johnson then pushes in transition, which his head coach Fernández surely appreciated, and generates a potential corner three. 

In the second clip, it’s once again LaRavia feeling the brunt of Johnson’s defense. Johnson stays in front of him pretty easily, and forces him into an errant pass that results in a Ziaire Williams steal and breakaway dunk.

The Nets also used Johnson on Ja Morant, although those reps went to Williams too. In one of their first times matched up — the initial clip in the video above — Johnson puts up a good fight but gets called for the foul.

Johnson learns from that in the proceeding clip. He doesn’t foul when Morant attempts the low gather, but instead accompanies the all-star guard and stays vertical when cleanly challenging at the rim. 

The third clip is a score for Morant, one of the best guards in the league, before Johnson gets tossed out for a questionable second tech. The effort is commendable, though, and the idea is clear: Johnson was one of the only Nets players Jordi Fernández trusted to keep up with Morant in terms of footspeed and athleticism.

This clip exemplifies that, even if the end result is unlucky since it’s a Grizzlies bucket. 

Johnson first picks up Morant 94 feet, full court. Later, he denies him ball in the half-court, going above and beyond to make this happen. Johnson is very nearly instrumental and successful in blowing up Memphis’ possession, but the Grizzlies ultimately get bailed out.

Having now rewatched Johnson’s 16 minutes against Memphis, it's much clearer why Fernández trusted the former Tennessee prospect to play more minutes than usual. Johnson, first of all, worked hard — but he also made quick decisions, understood his role spacing the floor on offense, crashed the boards when he could, and did his best to be as disruptive as possible defensively. 

Johnson can build on this by continuing to play simple on both ends. His role is straightforward, which is to make those around him better. If Johnson can add extra possessions for his team by hustling on the glass, or create an open look by setting a bruising screen, he needs to get the most out of these small margins.

Going forward, though, his three-pointer needs to fall at a higher clip. Johnson missed both of his attempted triples against the Grizzlies. 

This season with the Nets, he is 0-for-7 from downtown. Johnson has made 59 of his 170 total attempted threes in his NBA career for an unsteady 34.7% mark. In 41 total G League games with the Long Island Nets last season, per RealGM, he converted on 68 of his 186 tries from deep (36.6 3P%).

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