Can Kobe Bufkin Replace Keon Johnson’s Production for the Nets?

The backcourt has been the Brooklyn Nets' primary focus for much of the 2025 offseason. They drafted three facilitators and one combo guard in June's draft, inked Cam Thomas to the one-year, $6 million qualifying offer, waived Keon Johnson and most recently, traded for former first-rounder Kobe Bufkin.

Johnson and D'Angelo Russell have been the two lone departures from Brooklyn's 2024-25 backcourt, but has the franchise done enough to replace the production it got from the duo last season?

The decisions to draft Egor Demin, Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf likely compensate for Russell heading to the Dallas Mavericks in free agency. The question really comes down to whether Bufkin, a 21-year-old who has just 27 appearances in his career, can replicate the steady input from Johnson, a rotational favorite of head coach Jordi Fernandez.

Bufkin averaged 5.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 12.4 minutes per game with the Atlanta Hawks last season. Johnson clocked in at about double the minutes (24.4) while also doubling each of Bufkin's averages. For context, Johnson averaged 10.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.

So theoretically, if Bufkin were to receive the same workload Johnson did, the production would be quite similar, right? Not necessarily.

While Bufkin does have some familiarity in Brooklyn through his former collegiate head coach and current assistant Juwan Howard, Johnson had far more experience as a Net prior to getting a role promotion. Remember, Johnson was somewhat homegrown, as he spent time with the Long Island Nets in 2023 before joining the active roster. He also had a full offseason under Fernandez, whereas Bufkin is joining with just weeks remaining ahead of training camp.

Still, it is possible. Perhaps the duo of Fernandez and Howard can accelerate Bufkin's development process, allowing him to grow into a rotational cornerstone in a matter of months. That reality can't be ruled out, but it also can't be expected.

If given ample time to improve, Bufkin could absolutely—eventually—replace Johnson's production. He still has a very high potential, one that's yet to be fully tapped, and just like with Johnson, Brooklyn has the proper pieces in place to enable the growth Bufkin needs to stick in the NBA. The responsibility now falls on him and the staff to put him in the right positions to succeed going forward.