The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to terms with Amir Johnson for a one-year deal worth the veteran minimum.
The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to terms with free agent Amir Johnson, bringing him back for next season, per ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski. This is a smart move by the 76ers, as Johnson is a tremendous insurance policy for the team.
Johnson was a crucial piece on a Philadelphia team that won 52 games last season. His numbers will never tell the full story of how this junkyard dog does all the little things that help his team win.
Last season Johnson averaged 4.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 15.8 minutes per game. This is down from his career averages of 7.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 21.7 minutes per game.
However, Johnson is more known for doing the little things, not putting up numbers. He seems to love setting hard screens to get his players open. He will get into position for offensive rebounds, tip loose balls to teammates, whatever his team needs on a given play.
Johnson is also a defensive stalwart, putting his game and body on the line for his team. His 0.6 blocks and 0.6 steals per game do not do justice to the impact he has on that end of the floor.
Johnson showed last year that he is willing to sacrifice his game (and numbers) for the good of the team. For a young 76ers team, Johnson is a tremendous leader and culture builder.
How the 76ers utilized Johnson
During his time with the Toronto Raptors and the Boston Celtics, Johnson was used as a starter. His main role was to patrol the paint at the 4, making it hard for the opposition to score.
Last season, head coach Brett Brown changed Johnson’s role, moving him to the bench and playing more in the backup 5 role. This is part of the appeal of Johnson. In a position-less NBA, he is able to defend the 3, 4 and 5 positions.
His 5’9″, 240-pound frame allows him to battle in the paint against the bigger bodies, but his defensive acumen allows him to defend the smaller forwards.
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Johnson was used primarily last season as a backup for Joel Embiid. He would come on and defend the paint, allowing others around him to score while he did Amir Johnson things. When the star center was unable to play, Johnson was the sensible replacement, starting 18 games.
This season, Johnson is going to be used in a similar role. The 76ers bought back sharpshooting J. J. Redick for another year and added Wilson Chandler via trade. Neither of these players will have much of an impact on Johnson’s playing time or role.
Now that the Sixers have a year of experience playing together, expect to see them move further up the standings in the Eastern Conference. Johnson’s grit and work ethic will be at the core of everything they do.
Embiid, Ben Simmons and Dario Saric may get most of the credit for the Philadelphia 76ers’ success but it is the work done at the coalface by Johnson that will get them over the line.
Next: 2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Grade: B+