The Brooklyn Nets have been trying to trade shooting guard Joe Johnson for quite some time now. Earlier this off-season, there were reported talks between the Nets and the Memphis Grizzlies about a potential deal for Johnson, but those talks fell through. The most recent rumors involve Johnson heading to the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to ESPN.com.
Johnson is set to be the second highest paid player in the NBA this upcoming season, behind only Kobe Bryant. In order for the Nets to move Johnson and his near $25 million salary, they would have to take Brendan Haywood and, likely, Anderson Varejao from Cleveland.
Haywood has a non-guaranteed contract worth $10.5 million this year and would likely be released after the trade. Varejao, on the other hand, has a contract worth $9.6 million in guaranteed money for next season and would likely serve as the backup center behind Brook Lopez, according to the New York Post.
This trade makes sense for both sides, but for different reasons. The Cavaliers are in win-now mode and Johnson is an experienced wing who can score the ball. The Nets are trying to avoid paying the luxury tax once again, and moving Johnson would allow them to do just that.
Johnson is coming off a bit of a disappointing season with the Nets as he averaged 14.4 points per game while shooting 44 percent from the field and 36 percent from the three-point range. Those 14 points per game were his lowest since his second year in the league with the Phoenix Suns.
Varejao will be working his way back from a ruptured Achilles tendon that he suffered just 26 games into last season, and although he should be back to start next season, he has had injury problems throughout his career, having played in only 172 games over the past five seasons.
The Nets figure to continue to be very active on the trade market as they try to rid themselves of Johnson and Deron Williams' huge contracts.
