Mar 29, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) takes a shot before a game against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

Cam Johnson Recalls Late-Night Call That Told Him He Was Traded to Nets

Originally posted on Brooklyn Nets on SI | By Kyler Fox | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 1:00 PM ET

A little over a month ago, Cam Johnson was finally traded away from the Brooklyn Nets after rumors of a potential move swirled for nearly a year. He was shipped to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. and an unprotected 2032 first-rounder, landing Johnson on a contender for the first time since he suited up for the Phoenix Suns.

On a recent appearance on "The Young Man and The Three" podcast, Johnson detailed the experience that led him to landing with the Nets in the first place.

"That's what happened when I got traded from Phoenix to Brooklyn. It was my little brother that called me, and then my dad, and then my girlfriend at the time was like, "Oh my god." That's all she said," Johnson said.

Johnson was infamously included in the Suns' blockbuster deal for Kevin Durant, moving to Kings County alongside Mikal Bridges.

"I'm like, "Huh," because I wasn't on Twitter. Like, I didn't have Twitter," Johnson continued. "So, it was just like I didn't hear about it until they called me and said, "You got traded." I'm like, "Are y'all joking?" Like it's 1:30 in the morning. But, this one I got a heads up on prior to and that's appreciated. It's not like it means the entire world, but it is definitely appreciated."

"Are y'all joking? It's 1:30 in the morning." Cam Johnson found out he was getting traded to the Brooklyn Nets by a phone call from his little brother who saw Woj's tweet pic.twitter.com/SfIYoo2r7j
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) July 26, 2025

In a year of firsts for the Nets in 2024-25—their first year of a total rebuild and the first season of head coach Jordi Fernandez's tenure—Johnson was a pivotal figure. He was a vocal voice in the locker room, and while Cam Thomas was sidelined for most of the season, Johnson served as a leader on offense. He averaged a career-high 18.8 points per game, shooting 47.5% from the field while boasting a near-40% hit rate from beyond the arc.

But now, Johnson starts fresh again. He'll compete for a title next season alongside Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and a slew of other high-impact role players Denver added this offseason. As for the Nets, they'll continue rebuilding with Porter now in the fold, a player who spent four years under Fernandez while the latter was an assistant coach on the Nuggets' staff.

While the chaotic situation unfolding in Phoenix may have gotten fans to forget about Johnson's contributions in The Valley, the professionalism he showed in Brooklyn has cemented him as a fan favorite among supporters.

This article first appeared on Brooklyn Nets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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