Houston Rockets: Joe Johnson looking to get adjusted

After working out a buyout agreement with the Sacramento Kings, Joe Johnson now finds himself reunited with head coach Mike D’Antoni as a member of the Houston Rockets.

Throughout the 2017-18 regular season, the Houston Rockets‘ offense has managed to display little to any signs of cooling off under head coach Mike D’Antoni, averaging 114.1 points per game behind the dynamic trio of Chris Paul, James Harden and Clint Capela.

They’ve played a pivotal role in helping Clutch City get off to its best start in franchise history, as the dynamic duo in the backcourt, combined with the big man inside, have helped guide the Rockets on an epic 10-game winning streak and the best record in basketball, as Houston currently sits a half-game up over the Golden State Warriors.

However, general manager Daryl Morey did not let his team’s recent success stop him from making moves shortly after the trade deadline. The analytical savant recently went on the buyout market to add another piece to Houston’s already-stacked roster.

Just hours before the Rockets’ showdown against the Sacramento Kings last week, the team announced the signing of seven-time All-Star forward Joe Johnson.

A seven-time All-Star who can score in bunches out in isolation, Johnson has experience playing within D’Antoni’s gravity-based offense from his three-year tenure with the Phoenix Suns. He now seeks to get adjusted to life in Houston prior to the final homestretch getting underway.

"“Joe’s going to fit in great,” D’Antoni told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “He’s going to be perfect. I don’t think he has his legs. He’s going to make shots…he can make plays. He’s got some gas left.”"

In his official debut with the Rockets, Johnson showed flashes of what he could provide Houston with when granted consistent playing time, scoring nine points in 31 minutes against Sacramento.

Despite not getting the chance to practice and shoot-around with his new set of teammates, the 36-year-old swingman appeared to fit in right at home on both sides of the floor, even though he shot just 2-for-9 from the field.

He knocked down his first 3-pointer in Rockets red, off of a drive-and-kick dime courtesy of the Point God himself, to help Houston cap off the first half with a 100-91 victory on Valentine’s Day.

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Johnson, who was originally not expected to suit up or play in any game time action until later this week, recently expressed how excited he was to be back on the floor and receive a steady dose of minutes just hours after signing with the Rockets prior to All-Star break, per Feigen:

"“Man, you know what, it’s been a long couple of days,” Johnson said. “Initially, I wasn’t supposed to play. Then I was. But it was fun. I was glad to get my feet wet before the break. That’s what I wanted. I was definitely overthinking. I played a lot of positions tonight I hadn’t played in two years, whether that’s guarding twos, guarding threes, even guarding ones.”“I’ll be good.”"

While it might be difficult to conceive Johnson receiving significant minutes once Trevor Ariza returns from his strained hamstring injury, the veteran wing could emerge as a potential threat off the bench for Houston, as his ability to make tough shots in one-on-one situations and create for others makes him a luxury to have come playoff time.

Johnson is someone D’Antoni can try to call upon late in contests and finish games with if needed, as Johnson might very well be the depth piece that helps the Rockets capture a championship.

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Houston will look to rest up and recover over the next few days prior to returning to action at home against Jimmy Butler and the Minnesota Timberwolves Friday night.