Reports: Indiana Pacers among teams that have talked to Brooklyn Nets about Cameron Johnson trade

Johnson is a great three-point shooter

Mar 16, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots the ball while Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

According to a report from Matt Moore in Action Network, the Indiana Pacers are among the teams that have chatted with the Brooklyn Nets about a possible trade for forward Cameron Johnson.

Johnson, 28. just wrapped up his fifth season in the NBA. The Pennsylvania native is best known for his outside shooting — he knocked down 39.1% of his triples last season and is at 40.7% across the last three. At his height, his jumper is hard to contest.

He has more skills than that, but his three-point accuracy at a high volume is what makes Johnson an appealing target. His defense is fine, too, and he impacts the game enough on the glass for a perimeter player.

The Nets are clearly heading into a rebuild after trading away Mikal Bridges. They may prefer picks or young players instead of talented veterans, so it makes sense that Johnson could be available on the market. Moore provided more details in his report.

"After the trade of Bridges Tuesday night, teams started talking to Brooklyn about potential trades for Johnson. The list is expected to grow, but the Pacers, Hornets and Kings are among the teams first in line," the report reads.

Johnson started a four-year, $90+ million deal last season. He is set to make just over $23.5 million in the coming campaign, which is important for salary matching purposes. The North Carolina product was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Nets in February of 2023.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also reported that the Pacers have explored Johnson in a trade. "The Indiana Pacers and Orlando Magic also registered exploratory trade interest in Johnson, league sources told HoopsHype. However, Indiana had other items ahead in its pecking order...," Scotto's report reads, in part.

Both reports came before Indiana agreed to terms on a new contract with Obi Toppin, and now the Pacers are in a tight financial crunch. They are approaching the luxury tax, which makes any trade difficult.

Johnson's salary would be the third-highest on Indiana's roster next season if he was acquired, so coming up with the matching salary to send to Brooklyn would be incredibly challenging for Indiana. With Toppin in the mix as well as Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Ben Sheppard, and Jarace Walker as forwards, it's fair to wonder if the Pacers even need a rotation-level wing any more.

Johnson's shooting and size would fit anywhere, and he is a fine-enough defender. But this would be a hard trade to construct for the Pacers even if they have interest in the wing. Johson averaged 13.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game last season.

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