The Brooklyn Nets are all in on the “Be Poop for Coop” race and it is likely that more trades are on the horizon for them.

Brooklyn’s general manager Sean Marks has already traded away two key players, Dennis Schroder and Dorian Finney-Smith, in separate deals with over a month still left to go before the February 6 trade deadline. Nic Claxton and Ben Simmons are among the remaining Nets players involved in trade rumors, but no one on this team’s roster is as coveted as Cam Johnson.

The 28-year-old forward is in the midst of a career year, averaging 19.5 points, 3.2 three-pointers on 42.6% shooting, 4.1 rebounds, and three assists in 34 games played this season. He has blossomed far beyond what most expected of him when the Nets acquired him as part of the February 2023 trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns.

The Nets are now ready to capitalize on his breakout campaign, with Johnson likely to command a treasure trove of draft assets in any trade.

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Johnson is a versatile 6’8 forward with a myriad of offensive skills that makes him a suitable fit for practically any team in the NBA today. This year with the Nets, he has taken on the largest offensive role of his six-year career and has shown a decent ability to create off the dribble that was never highlighted in previous seasons. 

What’s even more impressive about Johnson this year is that despite taking a career-high 12.8 field goals per game, he is also posting the best shooting numbers of his career across the board. He is actually quite close to joining the elite 50/40/90 club with shooting splits of 49.6% (field goal), 43.6% (three-point), and 89.5% (free throw) this season.

Several teams have reportedly expressed interest in Johnson, including the Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder, Houston Rockets, and Orlando Magic. It’s unclear what the Kings’ plan is in this hunt for Johnson as even he cannot fix their roster issues. He would be an immediate upgrade over Keegan Murray and even DeMarDeRozan at this point, so it will be interesting to see how much Sacramento is willing to give up in a potential package. 

The West-leading Thunder are the most interesting among these suitors as they have an overflowing war chest of draft picks and could use a player of Johnson’s caliber in their push for the NBA championship. Johnson would fit right in Oklahoma City’s front court next to Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams, providing the team with a credible three-point shooter to space the floor for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. 

The Rockets and Magic would be strong situations for Johnson to land in as well, though they are not as far along as the Thunder in terms of championship contention. The Detroit Pistons may also be interested in adding him to their young core.

It remains to be seen where Johnson will ultimately end up, but what seems certain at this point is that Brooklyn is likely to hold on to him until the very last minute before the trade deadline to maximize his value. Johnson is the Nets’ most valuable remaining asset for good reason as regardless of wherever he lands, the team that he ends up with will only get better the moment that he steps on the floor for them.

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