The NBA trade deadline has come and gone but that doesn’t mean that is the end of any potential big moves this season. While the deadline was rather uneventful with mostly meaningless players being moved around, the biggest move of the season could still happen with Joe Johnson!
@IamJoeSports
While the Nets can’t trade Johnson at this point, the option of a buy out continues to be discussed behind the scenes. The Nets stink and are going nowhere fast and Johnson is getting older and can still contribute very well to a contending team. Apparently conversations about it have progressed so much that Johnson already knows for a fact where he will go if it happens.
Should Johnson, 34, obtain a buyout of his $25 million salary for the season, Cleveland would be his next destination, sources with knowledge of the dialogue insist to cleveland.com.
Brooklyn is aware of the ballpark figure it would take for Johnson to agree to a buyout, a source said. The way sources characterize the situation, Brooklyn has to decide whether they want to help the Cavaliers, or allow Johnson to play out his contract as is.
Johnson is owed $8,054,220 the rest of this season – per $146,440 day. The Cavaliers could pay him only the minimum salary – $8,819 per day.
Since Johnson would still get some type of money from the Nets as part of the buyout, he will likely not be concerned with the limited amount of money the Cavs can give him, especially if it results in a deep playoff run which in the east is a guarantee for the Cavs.
