As a scoring, over-used veteran on an underwhelming team and a big expiring contract, 34-year-old, seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson is a prime candidate for a potential buyout, one of the few potential impact players that has a chance of switching teams without a trade. He’s a notable enough candidate that he can’t avoid the rumors. “It’s kinda hard (not to listen to it),” Johnson said Wednesday night about a potential buyout or trade. “It is what it is, man. It comes with the territory. Obviously me being an older player, I’ve seen it all, so nothing surprises me.”
More on Joe Johnson Buyout
Marc Stein: Perhaps that position changes once the deadline passes if Joe Johnson, as expected, remains in Brooklyn. But still no push for a buyout yet.
One source close to Johnson recently told Basketball Insiders that the 34-year-old marksman is “as miserable as he has ever been” and would welcome a change of scenery.
Andy Vasquez: Joe Johnson admits it's tough with Nets, but says he won't request a trade. Leaves open buyout possibility, though: http://wp.me/p23cP0-Ex - Ethan J. Skolnick: Tax concerns aside, I'm told this would pique Heat's interest
Keep an eye on buyout talks with Joe Johnson in late February. With Brooklyn out of the playoff mix, talks could rekindle. If bought out, Johnson will have a list of championship-level teams vying for his services.
Sources close to the process say that there isn’t a lot of urgency to make a deal before the deadline. Instead, the priority is to get new leadership in place and let the future of the team take shape that way. That’s not to say the Nets wouldn’t do a deal, they’re just not overly active in looking for one. The real question is will Johnson opt to leave some of his guaranteed cash on the table if he is not moved in order to gain his release via a buyout. Today, his side says absolutely not. However, there is a sense that once the deadline passes, that stance could change.
Marc Stein: All indications are the Nets' Joe Johnson, contrary to recent suggestions, presently has no interest in seeking a buyout in Brooklyn. So ...
Where will Joe Johnson be playing in 2016-17? Stein: Not. Brooklyn. That's about as definitive as we can get this far away from free agency. But the more interesting question might be: Will Johnson finish this season in Brooklyn? There are some folks around the league who wonder if the Nets would consent to buying out Johnson after the Feb. 18 trade deadline if they can't move him. The Nets would naturally dismiss any such suggestions, given that they have no other choice but to try to win as many games as they can before sending their unprotected 2016 top pick to Boston. But they also frequently insisted that they wouldn't buy out Deron Williams before ultimately doing so.
