Less than a month after the Phoenix Suns drafted Jarrett Culver with the No. 6 pick in the 2019 NBA draft, they traded Culver to the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire Dario Saric and Cameron Johnson (the No. 11 pick in the draft).
At the time, Saric was the key name as a veteran big man who could shoot from long range and immediately slot into the Suns’ rotation.
As it turns out, Cam Johnson wasn’t to be overlooked.
Part 1: Phoenix Suns NBA restatement, mulligans for draft day mistakes
A serviceable defender who could spread the floor with his three-point shot, Johnson went on to form the likable duo “The Twins” with fellow lanky wing Mikal Bridges in the Valley. He finished third in the Sixth Man of the Year voting for the 2021-2022 season, behind Miami’s Tyler Herro and veteran power forward Kevin Love.
That season, Johnson averaged 12.5 points on a career-best 42.5% shooting from 3-point range through 4.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. He was also a key piece on the 2020-2021 Suns team that reached the NBA Finals.
The sharp-shooting Suns wing came into his own, enough that his trade value partially helped Phoenix acquire future Hall of Famer Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade package with the Brooklyn Nets.
Johnson had a best season with Brooklyn last year. He averaged 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while sinking 39% of his 3-point attempts and 47.5% of his field goals overall — leaving some Suns fans wondering what could have happened if Phoenix had kept its Devin Booker/Bridges/Johnson trio intact.
Read more: While the Sun’s three-point stats are on the rise, the individual record has stood for 20 years
That performance caught the attention of the Denver Nuggets, who opted to sign Michael Porter Jr. and trading a 2032 first-round pick to Brooklyn in exchange for Johnson last summer.
But so far, Denver may have buyer’s remorse.
Cam Johnson stats with Nuggets.
Like Porter Jr. puts up career numbers When he initially went to Brooklyn, Johnson has had a very difficult time in his new situation.
Through his first 11 games played with the Nuggets (all starts), Johnson is averaging just 7.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists. He is shooting a dismal 21.1% from beyond the arc – by far the worst of his career. In fact, he has almost as many turnovers (six) as he made three-pointers (eight) early in the season.
Injuries have played a role in Johnson’s rough start in the Mile High City. He suffered a biceps injury in the first quarter of Denver’s Nov. 12 game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Before that he suffered from a shoulder problem.
Denver hasn’t been doomed as a team by Johnson’s early struggles, as at the time of writing they are 10-2 with a seven-game winning streak. That 10-2 record puts them No. 2 in the Western Conference, behind only reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
It remains too early to judge Johnson’s Nuggets tenure given injury concerns and small sample size. However, getting Johnson healthy will undoubtedly be a priority for the Nuggets going forward. He simply hasn’t been the same talent he was in Phoenix and Brooklyn.
If Denver is going to challenge OKC for Western Conference supremacy, even a throwback to Johnson’s Suns-era stats would be welcome.
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