The New York Knicks surprised everyone when they traded for Mikal Bridges at the beginning of the offseason. New York paid its in-town rival a hefty price for its top player, signaling a Brooklyn rebuild.
The Nets started the season better than expected under new head coach Jordi Fernandez, so much so that people wondered if Brooklyn would surprisingly secure a Play-In Tournament spot. The Nets' best player is Cam Johnson, who arrived in New York alongside Bridges in the Kevin Durant trade.
Johnson is averaging a career-high 19.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, shooting 49.6% from the field and 43.6% from three. His intention entering the season wasn't to up his trade value, but that's what he's done. He's drawn attention from several top teams around the league and is expected to be traded before the Feb. 6 deadline.
Contenders like the Thunder and Grizzlies have been linked to Johnson. The Nets' main priority in a Johnson trade is receiving the best possible offer, and it would benefit the Knicks if the offer came from a team in the West like OKC or Memphis. What wouldn't be ideal is if he were traded to a team like the Cavaliers, who already have the best record in the league.
Nets trading Cam Johnson to East contender would be disaster for Knicks
ESPN created 'under-the-radar' trades for every team in the league. Dave McMenamin outlined a trade for Cleveland to acquire Johnson and Maxwell Lewis from Brooklyn. The Cavaliers would send Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, and draft capital to the Nets. McMenamin added that Cleveland has played so well that the front office is reluctant to "disturb the chemistry," but there's no denying this trade would make the team even better.
The Cavaliers' hot start to the season was overlooked by many, but they've sustained their impressive play for nearly half of the season. The postseason is a different beast, but it's looking more and more like this Cleveland team is for real, especially after this week's win over Oklahoma City.
Johnson has playoff experience dating back to his days with the Suns, and he'd be an elite role player for the Cavaliers. He'd undoubtedly help Cleveland change its postseason narrative of choking when it matters most (like in 2023 against New York).
Hopefully, the Cavs' front office is too reluctant to make a splashy move like acquiring Johnson.