Miami Heat: Is Joe Johnson A Good Fit?

The Miami Heat are one of a few teams rumored to be interested in Joe Johnson if he is bought out by the Brooklyn Nets, but is he a good fit for the team?

The Miami Heat have a huge hole in their second unit with Tyler Johnson undergoing shoulder surgery and possibly being out the remainder of the season. They could use some help in the backcourt with Johnson out for such a long period of time, but where could they find some help?

The Heat have been linked to a couple of backcourt players in Tony Wroten and Dorell Wright, and that was before Johnson went down with his shoulder surgery. Another player that the Heat could target after the NBA Trade deadline is the Brooklyn Nets‘ Joe Johnson.

The Nets season has been in the gutter for weeks now, and they are expected to be active at the trade deadline to move some of their older veterans to open up playing time for younger players and try getting some assets back in return. Johnson is one of the players they are looking to possibly move on from, with a buyout being an option after the trade deadline.

Johnson has repeatedly said that he will not ask for a trade, but there is a chance that the Nets approach him with a proposal of a buyout. It is what they did this past offseason with point guard Deron Williams to get his contract off the books, and it something they could do with Johnson in the coming weeks if a common price can be agreed upon.

Johnson has a massive contract, so it is tough to imagine him getting moved in a trade as not many teams can absorb that kind of money. But, if he is bought out, there should be a number of teams lining up for his services despite his lackluster 2015-16 season, and the Heat could be one of those teams according to Ethan J. Skolnick of the Miami Herald.

Like Skolnick says, there is a lot that has to happen for Johnson to land with the Heat. First, Johnson needs to be bought out by the Nets, which isn’t a guarantee at this point. Also, the Heat would have to make a roster move. They are already at the maximum 15 players allowed on the roster, so they would have to cut someone to make room for Johnson.

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If it comes to that, expect Josh Richardson or Jarnell Stokes to be on the chopping block. But, is that a worthwhile move for the Heat?

The Heat have won six of their last eight games, and Johnson would cut into the playing time of Justise Winslow and Gerald Green. Is it worth messing with the chemistry the team is building currently to add another player that needs the ball in his hands to succeed? While J. Johnson is not the same player he was even two seasons ago, he has shown that he can still provide a scoring punch at times.

But, at the same time, it does not seem like he would have a role with the team. Green is their go-to scorer off the bench, and Winslow is arguably the best perimeter defender they have on the team. J. Johnson would bring more scoring punch than Winslow, but there is no guarantee that would outweigh the defense that Winslow brings to the table.

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With there being no clear place for J. Johnson to upgrade the team at, it is probably best that the Heat pass on him if he is bought out by the Nets. But, do not rule out the Heat making a move at some point, as they could use some three-point shooting; just do not expect it to come in the form of Joe Johnson.