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Cameron Johnson Rumors
The Brooklyn Nets traded Cam Johnson to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr. this offseason. However, it’s not the first time Johnson was dealt via trade, as he was originally traded to Brooklyn from the Phoenix Suns. Johnson revealed that he learned about that deal the hard way. During a guest appearance on “The Young Man and the Three” podcast, the 29-year-old forward revealed that he learned about the trade from his brother, who called him about it. Cam Johnson didn’t believe it, as the call came in at 1:30 in the morning.
“That’s what happened when I got traded from Phoenix to Brooklyn,” said Cam Johnson. “It was my little brother that called me. And then my Dad, and then my girlfriend at the time was like ‘oh my God!… Because I wasn’t on Twitter, like I didn’t have Twitter. So, it was just like, I didn’t hear about it. Until they called me and said, ‘You got traded.’ I’m like, ‘Are ya’ll joking? It’s 1:30 in the morning.”
Nuggets exec Ben Tenzer on Jonas Valanciunas: He's excited to be a Nugget
Nuggets executive vice president of basketball operations Ben Tenzer attempted to tamp down any conjecture over Valanciunas' arrival during a news conference Friday that was set up to introduce Cam Johnson. "There's been nothing but healthy conversations in terms of him honoring his contract and him excited to be a Nugget," Tenzer said of Valanciunas. So, no concerns that Valanciunas might not be with the Nuggets to start the season? "No concerns," Tenzer said.
Michael Scotto: Cam Johnson on Jordi Fernandez and the Brooklyn Nets: “I have so much respect for that coaching staff in Brooklyn. I really loved playing for Jordi. I think Jordi has a tremendously bright future in this league. I think Brooklyn has a bright future. Those are my guys for sure.” pic.x.com/sr6gJg9zgJ
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Ryan Blackburn: Cam Johnson told us a story about being at a breakfast spot in Arizona near his home. A family of roughly 10 older Nuggets were having breakfast but were beside themselves with excitement about Cam being a Nugget. “The lady was almost crying.”
Ryan Blackburn: Cam Johnson to Nuggets media: “At the end of the day, I want to win, and I think we have the pieces to do that here.”
What was like your initial reaction when you heard about the trade? Cam Johnson: It was actually—I was surprisingly really, really calm about it, you know what I mean? Like, I’ve had so many phone calls over the past year that I thought would be the one. Where that's the trade—you know, your heart just skips one beat. You know what? I got this phone call and I heard my agent’s voice and I’m like, “All right… all right, let’s hear it.”
Erik Slater: Cam Johnson says goodbye to the Nets: "I love the people in that building... I enjoyed it because of that, and I had faith in what we were building because of that. I really think Jordi's a fantastic coach. Playing that one season under him, personnel constantly shifting, we had trades, we had injuries, he always maintained such a good approach to the team, and he was always able to motivate us to play hard. Our record wasn't great, but I think throughout the season we consistently gave effort. And I credit our coaching staff a lot for that. Two years there, playoffs when we first got there. Obviously, we wish we could've been better. And I was willing to do everything in my power to get us back on a winning track. And I think they’ll get there eventually. I have faith in those guys in that building. I’ll miss them, and I appreciate them. I appreciate everything they did for myself and my career. I wish Mike the best of luck going there and figuring the situation out."
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MPJ continued by saying how he and Cam Johnson are “boys” and that the two even discussed the possibility of swapping homes in their new respective cities, at least to start. Both have two years left on their respective deals. “Obviously Denver got a great player and a great dude, and I’m excited for him to finally be able to compete for a championship over there. I, myself, am excited to expand my game [in Brooklyn] and be able to do what I do.”
Ian Begley: Nets announce Michael Porter Jr./Cam Johnson trade that includes DEN’s unprotected 2032 first round pick going to BKN. GM Sean Marks says in statement that Porter Jr. adds “shooting”, “floor spacing” and a “presence on the boards.” Marks also offers sincere thanks to Johnson:
In 2020, before he went to play in the bubble, he reached out to Neely, who was training athletes professionally. Cameron Johnson had specific goals in mind: “He wanted to work on his footwork. Lateral quickness. Ways that he could improve agility.” And in most other cases, the newest Nugget seeks to share his thoughtfulness with others, whether that’s in frequent podcast appearances or sideline huddles. “When we were doing drills in practice and running full-court stuff, he was always trying to teach the younger kids,” Rodriguez recalled. “After my huddle would break (during games), they would be walking out on the court, and he would huddle them up again. ‘We’ve gotta do this. We’ve gotta do that.’ And of course, everyone paid attention. It was Cam Johnson.”
Yossi Gozlan: As Bobby pointed out, the Nuggets could combine the Cameron Johnson and Jonas Valanciunas trades to avoid a first apron hard cap. This would allow them to go above it and use the $5.7 million tax mid-level exception on another big man, should Valanciunas seek a buyout.
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