5 Best Fits If Brooklyn Nets Buy Out Joe Johnson
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Let’s call it as it is: the Dion Waiters experiment has not worked out for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Acquired to play something of a James Harden role, Waiters has instead struggled with inefficiency as Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have finally hit their stride.
Until a superior third perimeter scoring option surfaces, the Thunder’s ceiling will be low, and Durant and Westbrook will suffer because of it.
Joe Johnson may not be the answer, but he’s the best possible shot Oklahoma City has at finding it in 2015-16. He’s an isolation scoring threat who can space the floor from beyond the arc, get to the line, and facilitate when tasked with doing so.
Coming to a genuine championship contender and sliding into the sixth man role may help Johnson discover some of the magic that made him a seven-time All-Star.
Johnson is an All-Star no more, but he’s a dangerous enough scorer to keep the opposition honest. With all eyes set on Durant and Westbrook, as well as Serge Ibaka‘s jump shot and Enes Kanter‘s rebounding, Johnson will have openings to exploit in an opposing defense.
Averages of 11.8 points and 4.1 assists on 37.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc suggest Johnson still has enough left in the tank to contribute.
With Durant’s free agency nearing, and the Western Conference as strong as its ever been, no team needs Joe Johnson more than the Thunder.