Fischer: Brooklyn Nets don’t feel they have to trade Cam Johnson

Nets went 0-5 with Cam Johnson on the bench. He comes back and they win. Does that make him a bigger trade target or a keeper?

Someone will have to make the Brooklyn Nets an offer they can’t refuse.

That’s basically Jake Fischer’s take when it comes to Cam Johnson’s trade value. If the offer is only a single first, rather than “two firsts and stuff,” The Steinline writer said the Nets response is likely to be thanks but no thanks, and keep the 6’8” sharpshooter.

Speaking with Mike Bisceglia and Alex Benesowitz of the Bad Weather Fans podcast, Fischer outlined what he believes is the Nets’ bottom line on Cam J who is having a career year. The 28-year-old is averaging 19.6 points on shooting splits of 49.6/42.8/89.7, tantalizingly close to the Holy Grail for NBA shooters: 50/40/90, accomplished only 14 times in league history.

Fischer, citing “word around the league,” said the Nets are not going to give Johnson away just to enhance losing to they can get a top pick. He described the Nets as wanting to keep their rebuild short and be “pragmatic and methodical” about it, not just focus on any single aspect of it…

“Brooklyn, I don’t think, plans to have a years-long rebuild,” said Fischer. “I think they’re going to be pragmatic and methodical about it like we talked about a little while ago. I think there is still value in keeping a Cam Johnson on your team both to potentially be someone will want to play with or he could be a blue chipper … not blue-chipper but a main piece who’s going back in a trade for someone.

“I think they will move him if they get two firsts and stuff which is what the word around the league is their benchmark for him. So, if they can get something like that, I think they would do it, but if they don’t, I think if there’s just a good first round pick on the table, I don’t think they’re going to trade him. I think they’re going to be like ‘Wow, we can’t say no to this deal because of the future optionality that he still would bring.”

To a certain extent, that’s the tack Sean Marks & co. initially took with Mikal Bridges, who like Johnson came over in the February 2023 Kevin Durant blockbuster.

The Nets were hopeful that Bridges could attract another star player — perhaps Donovan Mitchell — to Brooklyn. When that failed and Bridges disparaged aspects of his Nets experience, they moved on with two blockbuster trades back in June, abandoning any hopes of contention and heading into a full-on rebuild, spurred by the Knicks willingness to give up a haul of draft picks.

Indeed, Fischer’s description of what it would take for the Nets to move Johnson — “we can’t say not to this deal” — is reminiscent of the term Brooklyn executives used in talking about the Knicks offer for Bridges —”an offer we couldn’t refuse.” (According to league sources, the Knicks had made a five-pick offer to the Nets prior to last year’s deadline, but the make-up of the ultimate offer was perceived as a big improvement.)

There will of course be differences between the Bridges trade and anything Johnson could bring. The Knicks had a wealth of picks available and at that point three of Bridges’ former Villanova teammates on the roster were reportedly lobbying Knicks GM Leon Rose. Moreover, Bridges is the league’s leading ironman while Johnson has had a series of injuries over the course of his career which one league source told ND might raise concerns in some NBA front offices.

Fischer also touched briefly on the possibility of the Nets — or the Knicks — trading for Zion Williamson, the former No. 1 pick of the New Orleans Pelicans whose career has been filled with injury and controversy. Just this week, he was suspended for missing a team plane.

Williamson caused a ripple of interest in both fanbases Tuesday night when asked about his favorite arena experiences noted his love for New York, waxing a bit poetic on Barclays Center’s “aura” and “ambiance.”

“New York, Brooklyn is a low key one (that) I don’t think people appreciate enough,” said a smiling Zion, adding, “Brooklyn just, I love New York music. Like, Jay, BIG. They just play that music and you feel the aura, the ambience in there.” He did note New Orleans is his favorite place to play.

Fischer dismissed the idea of the Nets giving up their organic rebuild and going all-in for Williamson.

“I can’t see them kind of like kind of clearing their books like having an opportunity to do something big starting this summer,” he told Bisceglia and Benesowitz.