After he reached a buyout agreement with the Brooklyn Nets this week, veteran swingman and seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson was expected to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they appear to be the clear-cut favorite to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2016 NBA Finals.
In an incredibly shocking development, reports indicate Johnson, 34, has instead elected to join the Miami Heat.
Report: Joe Johnson is headed to the Miami Heathttps://t.co/wPrNDjy5oA pic.twitter.com/Lq2BIktmEy
— CBS Sports NBA (@CBSSportsNBA) February 26, 2016
This is surprising for a number of reasons. For starters, while the Heat are undoubtedly one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, they aren’t frequently described as true championship contenders. Moreover, they already have a number of solid wing players (Dwyane Wade, Luol Deng, Justise Winslow), so on paper, Johnson doesn’t seem to be a great fit.
However, Chris Bosh‘s issues with blood clots resurfaced this month, and there’s no telling how the remainder of the season will play out for him. Whispers that are vociferous in nature have swirled lately suggesting Miami has been pressuring Bosh to shut it down until next season.
Thus, the acquisition of Johnson could mean the Heat intend on playing smaller with Johnson starting at the three and Deng at the four. In that scenario, the rookie Winslow’s development really wouldn’t be hindered, as his playing time would remain status quo.
It’s hard to imagine Johnson believes Miami has a better chance to win a ring this season than Cleveland does, so it’s fair to assume that playing time was the main factor in his decision-making process.
While missing out on Johnson certainly isn’t going to derail the Cavaliers’ season by any means, LeBron James in particular can’t be overwhelmingly excited about this development after publicly expressing his desire to land Johnson, only to see him sign with his former team.
LeBron James: Joe Johnson ‘Knows We Want Him’ https://t.co/5RT8WgT08s pic.twitter.com/TBeQx3Dx06
— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) February 26, 2016
Johnson played uninspired basketball for much of the season in Brooklyn. But the Nets are a putrid team in the middle of a grueling rebuild. Don’t be surprised when Johnson returns to a level somewhat reminiscent of his former in South Beach.
