The Cleveland Cavaliers have been the best team in the NBA this season, but they’re still looking to improve as they seek their second championship in franchise history. Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported today that the Cavs are interested in acquiring Cam Johnson of the Brooklyn Nets with the NBA trade deadline less than three weeks away.
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Johnson is one of the most coveted potential trade pieces out there. The Nets already have shown a willingness to make deals by sending Dennis Schroder to Golden State, and Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Lakers, so he’s believed to be available for the right price.
Last night’s beatdown at the hands of the Thunder shows that despite their 34-6 record, the Cavs are vulnerable to physical teams that can defend at a high level. The Cavs did beat OKC at home last week, but to feel better about their chances if the two teams were to meet in the Finals, a player like Johnson could make a big difference.
Johnson is having what is easily the best season of his career for a Nets team that hasn’t put much around him. His 19.6 points per game is more than four points better than his previous best season, while his shooting percentages from two, three, and the free throw line are all personal bests, as well.
The Cavs have gotten the most out of Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland in the backcourt in Kenny Atkinson’s first year as coach. They’re also set down low with Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen manning the 4 and the 5, respectively. Johnson would be a clear upgrade over the likes of Dean Wade and Isaac Okoro at small forward though, not only because he’s a much bigger threat offensively, but because he’s also a tough, switchable defender.
What would it take for the Cavaliers to acquire Cam Johnson?
ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst reported earlier today that Johnson is believed by executives around the league to be the player most likely to change homes before the deadline, but that Brooklyn’s asking price for the eighth-year wing will be high.
Rumor has it that the Nets are looking for two first-round picks at minimum for Johnson, but that’s where the Cavs have a problem. Cleveland traded three first-rounders as part of the deal to acquire Mitchell from the Jazz in 2022.
Those picks are in 2025, 2027, and 2029, plus Utah has the right to swap first-rounders in 2026 and 2028. Due to the Stepien Rule that forbids teams from trading first-round picks in consecutive years, the Cavs are unable to include those 2026 and 2028 picks in a deal for Johnson or anyone else.
Cavs president Koby Altman is going to need to get creative to land Johnson, which likely means he’ll need a third team willing to trade its first-rounders away. As for what the Cavs would give up in the deal, it would seem that Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, and Allen are off the table, but anything else might be fair game.
Wade and Okoro could certainly be available, as could Max Strus and Georges Niang. The Cavs will want to keep Caris Levert, as the former Michigan Wolverine is having the most efficient shooting season of his career as Cleveland’s sixth man. To get Johnson though, they may have no choice but to part ways with him.
Other teams are going to be after Johnson, so if the Cavs want to make this happen, they better figure something out quickly or he could end up playing for one of their main contenders.
