Dec 4, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (2) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) and guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) during the fourth quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Would the Indiana Pacers really shake up their depth significantly enough to acquire one of the big names on the trade market this season, Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson?
Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star thinks Johnson could help elevate the 23-19 club's ceiling this year while shoring up its scoring. Dopirak posits that the newly-movable contract of reserve power forward Obi Toppin and veteran starting small forward Aaron Nesmith, just returned from injury, to the Pacers' bench, could be moved as part of the deal.
That makes sense, given that Johnson would represent a massive upgrade over either of those players, both are on non-rookie-scale deals, and Johnson woul essentially be replacing both their minutes.
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"There's been less internet chatter about the Pacers and a Johnson deal over the last week or so and he does appear to have plenty of interest from other squads including the Western Conference leading Oklahoma City Thunder and the Memphis Grizzlies, another contender in the West," Dopirak observes.
Johnson looks likely to be the Nets' next big trade chip. Brooklyn has been on a trading binge of late, having already ditched small forward Dorian Finney-Smith, shooting guard Shake Milton, and point guard Dennis Schröder.
Across 33 bouts this year, the 6-foot-8 combo forward is averaging a career-most 19.6 points while slashing .499/.428/.897 shooting splits, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks a night.
Johnson is no slouch on the other end of the hardwood, either. He can convincingly guard positions one through four.
"Still, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line -- the Substack run by former New York Times and ESPN reporter Marc Stein -- reported earlier this month the Pacers would be 'a team to watch' in pursuit of Johnson," Dopirak adds. "Reports surfaced that a deal would include Toppin and small forward Aaron Nesmith plus first-round draft picks."
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In this hypothetical, Johnson would likely supplant Nesmith as the team's starting small forward, though theoretically he and starting power forward Pascal Siakam could be toggled between either position depending on matchups.
Losing Toppin would hurt Indiana's frontcourt depth, perhaps, but given how well the Pacers' other wings have performed recently without Nesmith, it's clear that the team should be able to patch production together.
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