Stein: Joe Johnson could be bought out

[TheTruthFot18]

This makes the Nets worse so it's better for the Celtics, but they have no reason unless Joe takes a decent size pay cut.

I don't think so. If anything they get better or stay the same. JJ is in a rut this year and is eating up shots other guys could get/ make. Thad Young and Lopez are doing great this year, no one else is really close.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Yeah, the Nets would be better if he left---because he would be replaced by a player who might actually TRY...JJ has been horrid---weird, you would think he would play hard--for the Next contract...maybe he's washed up.

Has he really been that bad?  Or has he just been shooting really poorly?

I'm wondering how the Nets starting 5 could be doing so well analytics-wise if he were really playing awful...

When I watch the Nets---most of the time, Joe Johnson is just standing around clueless---like a worse version of Jeff Green on the Celtics.

[Jon]

I've never liked the idea of a player being bought out just to join another team during the season. These types of players should be ineligible for the playoffs or such.

Perhaps, but the C's have benefitted from this in the past quite a bit (Gary Payton, P.J. Brown, and Sam Cassell to name a few).

[SHAQATTACK]

Yeah, the Nets would be better if he left---because he would be replaced by a player who might actually TRY...JJ has been horrid---weird, you would think he would play hard--for the Next contract...maybe he's washed up.

Has he really been that bad?  Or has he just been shooting really poorly?

I'm wondering how the Nets starting 5 could be doing so well analytics-wise if he were really playing awful...

When I watch the Nets---most of the time, Joe Johnson is just standing around clueless---like a worse version of Jeff Green on the Celtics.

LOL.....funny ...but that's what I see as well ......a very old Jeff Green at 37 .....joe wakes up every so often and remembers why he makes more money than LeBron .....

[konkmv]

Release jj trade lopez and young for picks... thank for the 2016-2018 picks...amen

[saltlover]

Old, uninterested Joe Johnson is still better than Markel Brown, which is where some of his minutes would go.  It's better for the Nets in the long run to give Brown some floor time, but it makes them worse this year.

[saltlover]

I've never liked the idea of a player being bought out just to join another team during the season. These types of players should be ineligible for the playoffs or such.

Eh, there's a deadline by when such players need to have been bought out.  Doesn't bother me all that much -- I was somewhat surprised he wasn't bought out this summer like Deron.  His contract is completely untradable.

[ImShakHeIsShaq]

I have watched all of their games and their better games he does some good work. He hits some timely 3s/shots but sucks at them normally. I think they would be worse as far as wins without him. They will look the same because he is bad most games but they won't eek out unexpected wins like they have been.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Joe Johnson should have stayed in Phoenix....would be finishing off a HOF career---instead, he went for the $$$

[Quetzalcoatl]

I have watched all of their games and their better games he does some good work. He hits some timely 3s/shots but sucks at them normally. I think they would be worse as far as wins without him. They will look the same because he is bad most games but they won't eek out unexpected wins like they have been.

I agree.  He's not really jacking up bad shots either.  In the second game vs us, the Cleveland game and the Pistons game, he was the second best player on their team IMO.  They went 2-1 in those games and almost beat Cleveland.  I'd honestly like him to go, I don't think they'll be able to sign anybody with the cap space, the owners will save some cash and they'll get us a better pick.  The only real downside is for the Nets fans who I like, but I mean, it's not like the end of the world for them.  He'll sign onto Cleveland or something too which is annoying, but he'll be bad by the time we're ready to compete.

[loco_91]

Old, uninterested Joe Johnson is still better than Markel Brown, which is where some of his minutes would go.  It's better for the Nets in the long run to give Brown some floor time, but it makes them worse this year.

Yup. JJ might not be having a great season, but he's still fundamentally a competent player. There's a reason he's playing 35mins every night.

In related news, Rondae Hollis Jefferson is injured (broken ankle requiring surgery).  Not sure how long he'll be out, but it's a significant blow to them - he's been a pretty dominant defender, and he'll have to be replaced by Bogdan Bogdanovic.

Not lying, I'm happy to see injuries on that team, but I wish it didn't have to be RHJ. He's a good player and I'm rooting for him.

[SHAQATTACK]

They would be worse off with out him. He still makes some clutch shots now and again.

I think his leaving makes the wins harder to get for the nets .

It's one less person who can make up some offense .

[celticsclay]

I think the RHJ injury may really decrease the chances of this happening. Thad and Brook wont be happy playing with d leaguers.

[GreenWarrior]

uhh maybe it's just me but Johnson being bought out could be great for us in two ways. makes the nets worse and... WE NEED A SCORER LIKE JOE JOHNSON!

[hpantazo]

uhh maybe it's just me but Johnson being bought out could be great for us in two ways. makes the nets worse and... WE NEED A SCORER LIKE JOE JOHNSON!

He's a shell of his former self, but it would still be nice to see him come back and finish his career in a smaller role on the team that he started with.