Weekly NBA Fix 7-12-14: James Returns To Northern Fan Base

Welcome to the Weekly NBA Fix for Saturday, July 12, at the end of a week when a player opted to leave the south to return to a cold, northern climate.

The fan base will no doubt be happy to have this player back after spending so many long, cold winter nights with him toiling elsewhere.

Oh, of course, there were returns, returns where the player left a winner with his new team.

But now, the player and the fan base can be reunited.

Yes, James Johnson has re-signed with the Toronto Raptors.

Wait … you thought I meant that other James return, I bet.

Johnson played part of the 2010-11 season and all of 2011-12 with the Raptors before he was traded to the Sacramento Kings in the summer of 2012.

He spent last season with the Memphis Grizzlies and should provide the Raptors with the versatile defender they lacked last season, a combo forward who can guard 3s on the perimeter as well as be a shot-blocking force on the inside when taking on 4s.

Johnson isn’t a sexy signing for the Raptors, but he is a good one as he will give Toronto much greater flexibility with its frontcourt rotations and provide them with a degree of rim protection that was sometimes lacking last season.

With player movement now in full swing now that the ridiculous moratorium period is done, here’s a division-by-division look at what’s making news around the NBA.