Should the Toronto Raptors Explore Trades for Amir Johnson?
Mentioning the words "trade" and "Amir Johnson" in the same sentence evokes feelings of dread and despair in the hearts of Raptor fans.
Johnson may not be one of the most talented players in franchise history, but he's certainly one of the most beloved.
He embodies everything the people of Toronto admire in a professional athlete: heart, passion, toughness and dedication. He's woven himself into the fabric of the city, winning over the masses with his charming personality and hard-nosed approach to basketball.
He's never been much for sexy stat sheets. His numbers this season, while respectable, are on par with what he's averaged since arriving north of the border in 2009.
| Year | Points | FG% | Rebounds | Assists | Steals | Blocks | Turnovers | PER |
| 2014-15 | 9.3 | 55.9 | 5.0 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 16.9 |
| Career (Raptors) | 8.7 | 57.1 | 6.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 16.3 |
He'll never wow you with monster nights on the glass or offensive outbursts. He does enough in nearly all facets of the game to be a steady contributor.
If setting perfect screens, fighting for second-chance points, diving for loose balls and being a pick-and-roll fiend were all it took to be an All-Star, he'd be a shoo-in.
He takes a beating and keeps on ticking, although that could ultimately be his downfall. While the reckless abandon Johnson puts his body through is admirable, his battle scars are slowly starting to emerge.
With so many questions surrounding his health and long-term durability, will general manager Masai Ujiri feel the need to re-sign the unrestricted free agent over the offseason?
Perhaps not.
Maybe the best course of action is to start picking up the phones and sending out feelers to the rest of the league to judge his value.
Health Concerns
Johnson played on two wonky ankles for a majority of the 2013-14 season.
The fact that he only missed five games is a testament to his tolerance for pain. When his teammates needed him to perform, he sucked it up and carried on like a true warrior.
DeMar DeRozan, the only Raptor to have teamed with Johnson the last five years, is astounded by his perseverance, per Eric Koreen of the National Post.
“He’ll come in before a game limping, and you’re like, ‘Man, maybe he’ll be ready for the next game.’ And he’ll end up playing,” DeRozan said. “The heart and soul he brings to this team is amazing.”
Barring a startling revelation that he operates on circuitry and wires, it's hard to imagine him sustaining his current pace health-wise as we go deeper into the campaign.
During a 129-122 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 30, Johnson re-injured a toe that he originally hurt two days earlier in a game against Dallas, per CBSSports.com. It kept him on the sidelines for all but six minutes in the second half and overtime.
It's nerve-wracking whenever he takes hard bumps or winces in agony. No amount of grit can overcome a body that's been through its share of wars.
Even a stubbed toe can cause a great deal of anxiety.
He avoided offseason surgery and chose to learn how to avoid making his damaged ankles worse with stints at the P3 (Peak Performance Project) training centre in Santa Barbara, per Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
"It was kind of like a video game scenario where they put the little dots on you and they can basically break it down where they can see your skeleton on the video screen. It came down to where I just had to move either my heel slightly one way or my ankle slightly another to prevent me rolling my ankle. If I take a step this way maybe it has me turning my ankle but if I turn the ankle and step this way it prevents it from rolling. So I have been working on this all summer pretty much and changed the way I move or take different steps.
"
There's no way of knowing if he made a wise decision at this time. Perhaps going under the knife and attacking the problem directly would have been wise.
The 27-year-old is now in his 10th season in the league after being the last player ever taken directly out of high school (Westchester High in Los Angeles) in 2005. He has mileage that others his age can't comprehend.
It was clear that he was nowhere near 100 percent on Dec. 2 in a 117-109 win over the Sacramento Kings on the road. He was moving gingerly, had very little lift and had difficulty keeping his man in front of him.
He's one bad fall away from being down and out for good. If that happens, who would need him then?
What If He's Dealt?
The relationship between DeRozan and Johnson goes well beyond the locker room, per Eric Koreen of the Post.
“It’s funny: [Johnson] is family to me,” DeRozan said. “It’s like we don’t even play basketball together.”
“He’s funny as s—. You don’t understand. If you hang around with Amir all day, you’re going to have the time of your life. He don’t try to be that funny, but he’s funny. When he gets going, everybody [gets excited]. He’s our heart and soul and everything, but to have our heart and soul act like a 17-year-old sometimes is definitely funny off of the court. It’s fun.”
There's a brotherly love that resonates between the two players. They've been through the highest of highs and lowest of lows in Raptor red, strengthening their bond as both teammates and close friends.
With DeRozan being one of the foundational pieces of the ball club, it's hard to imagine him taking kindly to his pal heading elsewhere.
It's never sensible to upset one of your top guys.
It would seem that Patrick Patterson would be the biggest beneficiary of Johnson's departure. He already averages as many minutes anyways.
While Johnson prefers to play around the basket while taking the occasional 15-footer, Patterson builds his game around being a perimeter threat who occasionally makes his way to the rim.
It gives head coach Dwane Casey options in terms of what kind of offensive schemes he wants to run.
| Name | Minutes | Points | FG% | 3P% | Rebounds | Blocks | PER |
| Amir Johnson | 25.5 | 9.3 | 55.9 | 46.2 on 0.9 3PA | 5.0 | 1.4 | 16.9 |
| Patrick Patterson | 25.2 | 7.0 | 43.8 | 39.2 | 5.8 | 0.5 | 14.3 |
The Raptors would be shot in the knees defensively if left without a new face manning the 4 spot, though. Patterson can't do the things that Johnson can on that end.
| Lineup | OffRtg | DefRtg | NetRtg | Opp FG% |
| With Amir | 109.2 | 102.0 | 7.2 | 45.7 |
| With Patrick | 109.6 | 141.9 | -32.3 | 65.2 |
The offense wouldn't take a hit, but that's never been an issue. Patterson would need to do a complete turnaround on defense to compensate for what the Raptors would be losing.
If Johnson's replacement is a defensive specialist who can step right into the lineup, all the better then.
Verdict
This is by no means a plea for Ujiri to part ways with Johnson.
When you're 14-4, you're not in any rush to make big deals or disrupt team chemistry. You let things play out and make adjustments accordingly.
If things take a turn for the worse, he may be one of the easier pieces to part ways with.
As an expiring contract of $7 million, he has value that goes beyond what he brings on the hardwood. If you package him with another expiring like Landry Fields ($8.5 million) or one of their many future draft picks, that should sweeten the pot.
The only way it makes sense is if you get equal or greater compensation. You don't pull the trigger just for the heck of it.
The team needs more rebounding. Per ESPN.com, Johnson ranks 32nd in rebounds amongst qualified power forwards. The team is 23rd at 41.1.
Patterson isn't ready to be a full-time starter due to his defensive woes. If Casey wants to maintain the Raptors' 102.0 defensive rating, he'll need someone more reliable on that end.
If Johnson survives the year, there's always a chance he walks. He has that option and the right to take it.
Odds would point toward him re-signing, though. He's in a good situation with the role he has, the relationships he's forged and the support he has from the coaching staff and fans alike.
In a perfect world, he'd be coming off the bench as a sixth man. His minutes could be monitored and he wouldn't have to contend with some of the more prolific 4's in the NBA.
If Ujiri is serious about turning the Raptors from playoff fodder to a legitimate championship contender, he'll need to make one or two more moves to fortify his roster anyways.
This wouldn't be the first time a fan favorite has either been sent packing or walked away. Jerome "Junkyard Dog" Williams was traded to the Chicago Bulls in Dec. 2003. Morris Peterson signed a four-year deal with the New Orleans Hornets on July 13, 2007.
You can't let your heart make basketball decisions for you. If the "We The North" movement were in charge, this wouldn't cross anyone's mind.
Let it simmer. It's not as baffling a premise as you may think.
Christopher Walder is considered by many to be the "songbird of his generation" and the greatest center to have never played professional, collegiate, high school, house league or pickup basketball. His work has been published on Bleacher Report, SB Nation, Sports Illustrated, FanSided and several other online outlets. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports.
All statistics, unless otherwise noted, are courtesy of NBA.com/stats and Basketball-Reference.com
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