Inside The Nets

Should the Nets Opt Into Keon Johnson’s Club Option?

The Nets have an important decision to make in the offseason regarding the future of Keon Johnson.

Declan Harris

Apr 6, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson (45) dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Apr 6, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson (45) dunks the ball against the Toronto Raptors during the second half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
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This season has seen the Brooklyn Nets struggle with injuries to some of their key players, with the biggest name being their leading scorer, Cam Thomas. The former LSU star struggled throughout the season due to issues with his hamstring, spending three separate stints on the bench due to a strain.

Given that Thomas has amassed 53 absences to this point in the season, Brooklyn head coach Jordi Fernandez has had to find another player to help supply his side with some offensive flair. While he’s had a few different choices throughout the season, his most popular has seemed to be Keon Johnson.

Johnson has appeared in 75 matches for the Nets this season, having started in 52 of them, in which he has averaged 10.4 points per game on 38.5 percent shooting from the field. While these numbers aren’t to the levels at which Thomas produces, they’re enough to make him the fifth-highest scorer for those who have played in a majority of the games this season.

This is Johnson’s second season in the Barclays Center after having to ink a deal with the Nets after a short stint with the Portland Trail Blazers. It could also be the 23-year-old’s last season with Brooklyn, as he isn’t guaranteed to be a part of the squad next season, given that the front office has a club option to decide if they want to keep him or not.

On the financial end, if Brooklyn’s front office is to take up his option, it’ll only cost them roughly $2.3 million, which is 1.52% of the NBA’s salary cap, according to Spotrac. Given the number of important decisions that are to be made regarding contracts in the upcoming offseason, any and all cap space is going to be highly valued by the Nets’ front office.

Apart from the financial part of the contract, there lies another factor to take a look at, which is Johnson’s development over his first few seasons in the league. This season has seen the 23-year-old soar to new highs on the offensive end, with his scoring numbers taking a noticeable rise given his increase in time on the court. 10.4 points and 2.1 assists off of the bench for only $2.3 million isn’t the worst thing in the world to take a player up on.

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Declan Harris
DECLAN HARRIS

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