The Detroit Pistons will pursue forward Cameron Johnson in restricted free agency, according to NBA insider James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
The Pistons hired Johnson’s former coach, Monty Williams.
As a restricted free agent, Johnson can either re-sign with the Brooklyn Nets or sign an offer sheet with a rival team. Brooklyn can match any offer sheet Johnson signs as long as it comes within 48 hours.
“There have been reports that the Nets plan to offer Johnson a four-year, $84 million deal,” Edwards III wrote. “Detroit, which plans to make a run at Johnson, league sources tell The Athletic, can make Brooklyn sweat.”
A four-year, $100 million offer sheet from the Pistons would surely make the Nets think twice about matching. For someone with Johnson’s skill set, a deal with an average annual value of $25 million is not bad, even if the upside is not great. Detroit is capable of making such an offer.
The Nets acquired Johnson from the Phoneix Suns in the Kevin Durant trade. The 27-year-old Johnson averaged 16.6 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 25 games with Brooklyn while shooting 46.8% from the field, 37.2% from beyond the arc and 85.1% from the free-throw line.
Brooklyn got swept by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs. Johnson told reporters during his end-of-the-season press conference that he would like to re-sign with the Nets. Given he was a key part of the trade to move Durant, it’s hard to see it being anything less than a must for Brooklyn to get done.
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Nets are expected to keep Johnson, who is close friends with Brooklyn star Mikal Bridges.
“The Nets, though, are quietly expressing confidence that they have all but convinced Johnson to re-sign … or that they will match any external offer they need to match to keep him,” Stein wrote.
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