3 Trade Destinations for Nets’ Cameron Johnson in 2024 NBA Offseason

The Brooklyn Nets are set to enter a complete rebuild this offseason. After finishing last year 32-50 and missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season, Brooklyn thought it was time to begin a rebuild and kicked things off by trading away Mikal Bridges to their in-state rival New York Knicks .

The Nets did receive a boatload of first-round picks in the deal with the Knicks, replenishing their future draft capital after trading most of it away to help build the failed big three of Kevin Durant,James Harden and Kyrie Irving in 2021.

With Bridges now out of Brooklyn, the Nets will look to make more deals to help turn their franchise around during this rebuild. The next player that may be on the move out of Brooklyn is Cameron Johnson .

Johnson was part of the trade that brought Bridges and himself to Brooklyn and sent Durant to the Phoenix Suns in February 2023. Since then, Johnson has been a key part of the Nets’ attempt to bounce back after the big three failed to bring the city a championship.

Johnson has struggled with injuries throughout his career, playing in 65 or more games just once in his five-year career in the NBA. He only played in 58 games last season, averaging 13.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists. He shot the ball well last year, knocking down 44.6% of his attempts from the field and 39.1% from three-point range, but he still suffered a drop-off in production from the prior season.

Despite a down year and lingering injury problems, Johnson should still gain some interest from around the league. He is still just 28 years old and would be a reliable scorer for a team trying to make a run at a championship.

Here are three potential trade destinations for Johnson this offseason.

Los Angeles Lakers

Lakers add another scorer next to LeBron and AD

The L.A. Lakers are looking to rebound next season after being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last year. The Lakers had championship hopes last season after making it to the Western Conference Finals just one year prior. Still, they were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets for the second straight season.

With LeBron James re-signing in free agency, the duo of him and Anthony Davis will look to help the Lakers hang banner number 18 next season. To do so, they must find another scorer to bring in alongside the dynamic duo. By making a deal for Johnson, they would do just that.

In this trade, the Lakers would receive Johnson and Dennis Schroder for D’Angelo Russell , Rui Hachimura and a 2029 first-round pick. By acquiring Johnson, they would add another reliable scorer to the starting lineup next to LeBron and Davis. With the Lakers also drafting Dalton Knecht , they would add two solid scorers to a roster that desperately needs better scoring behind its two stars.

They would also receive Schröder, who already had one stint in Los Angeles. During that time, his role changed a bit throughout his final year, but he never broke through as a solid offensive option behind James and Davis. However, he would be a cheaper option than Russell and is also more of a true point guard than Russell, who is primarily a score-first guard.

With these additions, the Lakers would add two solid scorers to their roster, which they could not do in free agency after losing out on Klay Thompson . By acquiring these players, the Lakers could make a run in the loaded Western Conference next season in hopes of raising banner number 18.

Brooklyn would receive Hachimura and Russell, both of which they would likely look to trade to another team. With the Nets entering a rebuild, adding a player like Russell would allow them to move him closer to next season’s trade deadline to acquire more young players and future draft capital.

Russell is still a solid point guard in the NBA but did not fit in with the Lakers as well as they had hoped throughout much of his tenure there. He should gain interest from some teams around the league, especially those competing for a championship.

Hachimura, on the other hand, should gain a ton of interest from other teams. He is still a young player who the Nets could keep to build around or look to trade away. Either way, Hachimura is the more sought-after player for the Nets in this deal, along with the Lakers’ 2029 first-rounder.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers and Nets swap forwards

After being eliminated in the second round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, most of the talk about the Cleveland Cavaliers entering the offseason was around whether they would keep their core together. After hiring Kenny Atkinson as their new head coach and signing Donovan Mitchell to an extension, it seems like Cleveland is looking to run it back with nearly the same roster as last season.

There have still been rumors about the Cavaliers potentially trading away Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen , but neither seems likely to happen. The Cavaliers can still make some changes, and finding a new starting small forward in Johnson may be the addition they need to help them compete at the top of the much-improved Eastern Conference.

In this scenario, the Cavaliers would swap Isaac Okoro and a 2031 first-round pick for Johnson. Okoro would have to be dealt in a sign and trade as he is currently a free agent. By adding Johnson, Cleveland would slot him in as the starting small forward, bringing more scoring to the team. The Cavaliers may just be one piece away from being at the top of the Eastern Conference, and by acquiring Johnson, they could be a threat next season.

For Brooklyn, they would receive Okoro in a sign and trade and the Cavaliers’ 2031 first round pick. Okoro would be a great addition to the Nets, as he is still just 23 years old. He still needs to improve offensively, but he’s a great defender. If the Nets can help him develop into a better offensive player, swapping him for Johnson may be the best move for them to make during their rebuilding efforts.

Sacramento Kings

Kings add another shooter to their roster

After being the surprise team two seasons ago, the Sacramento Kings took a step back last year. They finished the regular season ninth in the Western Conference but missed the playoffs after losing to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Play-In Tournament.

With the Kings looking to bounce back next season, they could add another reliable shooter to their roster this offseason to pair with the core of De’Aaron Fox , Domantas Sabonis and Keegan Murray . They already re-signed Malik Monk , keeping a key piece of their roster, but there have been rumors that Sacramento would like to upgrade at small forward and trade away Harrison Barnes .

They would do just that by making a deal with the Nets for Johnson.

In this deal, the Kings would trade away Barnes, Keon Ellis and a 2026 first-round pick for Johnson. By swapping Barnes for Johnson, the Kings would add a younger, more reliable scorer at small forward. They do decline defensively, as Johnson is not the best defender.

Still, by adding him to their starting lineup, Sacramento should be able to outscore most teams without worrying too much about their defense. With this addition, the Kings should light the beam often next season and find themselves back in the playoffs once again.

The Nets would receive Barnes, who they would likely trade away either to a third team in this deal or a team closer to next season’s trade deadline. The more enticing parts of this trade for the Nets are Ellis and the Kings’ 2026 first-rounder.

Ellis showed promise last season in Sacramento after playing in 57 games, including starting in 21. He is only 24 years old and would provide another young player for Brooklyn to build around. The 2026 first-round pick could work out nicely for Brooklyn, as Fox may still leave in free agency after next season, which would Sacramento’s chances of being a playoff team in the future.

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