The Brooklyn Nets aren’t a championship contender, so they don’t need a slightly above average player who costs $25 million per season. The Memphis Grizzlies lack a perimeter weapon to complement Mike Conley, so they need to upgrade the backcourt.
Per ESPN’s Marc Stein, the franchises attempted to work out a deal that would send Joe Johnson to Memphis but could not agree to terms.
Story going online now: ESPN sources say Nets and Grizzlies recently discussed a Joe Johnson-to-Memphis trade
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2015
Sources say teams could not find workable trade framework, but Nets came away encouraged they'll ultimately find trade taker for J-Johnson
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2015
Johnson, who is due $24.89 million in 2015-16 according to HoopsHype, averaged 14.2 points last year—his lowest total since the 2002-03 campaign, which was his second year in the league.
The upcoming season is the final year of Johnson’s contract, so Brooklyn would be smart to find a trade partner for the shooting guard.
Plus, although Johnson isn’t much of a defender, Memphis can afford to take on that weakness. Led by Conley and a one-time Defensive Player of the Year in Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies consistently deny opponents easy buckets.
What Memphis desperately needs, though, is a guard capable of unleashing a torrid shooting streak. Though the 34-year-old is still capable of that, Johnson is nicknamed “Iso Joe” for a reason. Johnson’s individualistic offensive style would’ve been an intriguing fit on the Grizzlies, but he’s not an upgrade.
According to NBA.com, Memphis guard Courtney Lee posted a 57.8 effective field-goal percentage in catch-and-shoot situations, while Johnson managed a 55.6 percent eFG.
Since Lee is a better defender than Johnson, the Grizzlies must have coveted his isolation ability. Per NBA.com, Conley, Lee, Beno Udrih, Tony Allen and Nick Calathes combined for 166 isolation plays, while Johnson himself racked up 194.
Memphis did its due diligence by inquiring about Johnson, but completing a trade would’ve been a mistake for the Grizzlies.
Photo: USA Today Sports