Joe Johnson Trade Rumors: Latest Buzz and Speculation on Nets Star

Joseph ZuckerJan 25, 2015

The Brooklyn Nets are looking at all of their options as they attempt to secure a playoff spot in the wide-open Eastern conference. Joe Johnson is at the center of trade rumors as the deadline approaches.

Continue for updates.

Johnson Confirms Rumors

Wednesday, Feb. 18

Roderick Boone of Newsday reported confirmation from Johnson on the recent trade rumors, saying "Yeah, well, the rumors are true. My name is out there. So anything's possible. So my phone is definitely going to be on."

Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN New York reported the Pistons have reached out to the Nets about Joe Johnson. Youngmisuk also reported Brandon Jennings could be involved in the potential deal that would send Johnson to Detroit.

Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders weighed in on the rumors around Johnson with Adam Lefkoe of Bleacher Report:

Nets Open to Trading Johnson

Sunday, Jan. 25

One of the Nets' plans may involve trading Johnson. Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Brooklyn is considering a deal that would send the veteran guard to the Charlotte Hornets:

"
The Hornets and Nets are discussing a larger package that would likely include guards Lance Stephenson and Gerald Henderson and forward Marvin Williams, league sources told Yahoo Sports. ... Charlotte owner Michael Jordan has been intrigued with the possibility of Johnson, who has struggled recently with tendinitis. Johnson, 33, has one of the three major contracts that the Nets would ideally like to unload, what with the $23.1 million on his 2014-'15 deal, and $24.9 million in the final season of his 2015-'16 contract.
"

The seven-time All-Star has played in 42 games this year, averaging 15.5 points on 42.7 percent shooting per night.

Johnson's three-point percentage has dropped nearly four points from where it was at the end of last year, but he's at least a better shooter than Lance Stephenson. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer added that one of Charlotte's biggest aims with all of these trade talks is offloading Stephenson:

Although Johnson still has that unwieldy contract that runs through next year, he might be a sensible addition to a Hornets team that ranks 29th in both field-goal percentage and three-point shooting.