Nets Notebook: Cam Johnson selected to compete in 3-point contest at All-Star Weekend

Nets guardant Cam Johnson has been selected to vie successful the Starry 3-Point Contest astatine All-Star play successful San Francisco connected Saturday, Feb. 15.

The tract includes Knicks defender Jalen Brunson, Detroit Pistons defender Cade Cunningham, Cleveland Cavaliers defender Darius Garland, Miami Heat defender Tyler Herro, Golden State Warriors defender Buddy Hield, Milwaukee Bucks defender Damian Lillard and Los Angeles Clippers defender Norman Powell.

During past season’s 3-Point Contest successful Indianapolis, Lillard defended his title with 26 points successful the last round, defeating Trae Young (24) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22).

Johnson volition beryllium the sixth Nets subordinate to enactment successful the event, joining Patty Mills, Joe Harris, Joe Johnson, Anthony Morrow and Dražen Petrović. Harris won the contention successful 2019.

“I deliberation it’s the close decision,” Nets caput manager Jordi Fernandez said. “In my opinion, [Cam’s] the champion shooter successful the NBA, should beryllium shooting successful the 3-point contest, truthful they did a large occupation selecting him. And we’re blessed we person a subordinate from our nine going there. We cognize he’ll bash a large occupation representing us.”

Through 36 games this season, the soon-to-be 29-year-old has recorded career-best averages successful points per crippled (19.3), assists per crippled (2.9) and minutes per crippled (32.1). He ranks 4th successful the NBA and archetypal successful the Eastern Conference successful 3-point percent astatine 41.7%.

Teams astir the league were lining up to pry Johnson distant from the Nets up of Thursday’s commercialized deadline, but yet nary woody was made. He has 2 years near connected his existent woody worthy $21.5 cardinal annually.

“I consciousness that this twelvemonth I’m a overmuch amended subordinate wide than I’ve been successful the past,” Johnson told reporters astatine Friday’s shootaround. “And I don’t deliberation this is the champion I’ll be. I volition proceed to propulsion to beryllium a amended subordinate adjacent week and adjacent year, and everything successful between, and everything beyond that.”

WAITING GAME

Ben Simmons, reportedly successful the process of negotiating a declaration buyout with the Nets, was not with the squad during Friday’s matchup against the Miami Heat astatine Barclays Center. Fernandez declined to remark connected the concern until a woody is finalized, but did talk connected the advancement Simmons made this play nether his watch.

“He’s done a bully occupation competing and being a portion of our nine and our civilization and showing up and moving with his teammates,” Fernandez said. “Whatever we’ve asked him to do, he’s done it… I’ve been precise pleased with him.”

The 28-year-old, successful the last twelvemonth of a five-year declaration helium signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, averaged 6.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists successful 33 appearances this season. He ends his Nets tenure with conscionable 90 games played and zero playoff appearances successful 3 seasons.

POST DEADLINE CLARITY

The commercialized deadline is down us. After buyout season, immoderate players are near connected Nets’ roster volition beryllium the ones Fernandez rolls with for the remainder of 2024-25. In immoderate ways it’s a relief. Now Brooklyn tin absorption connected gathering continuity and finishing beardown — and the imaginativeness appears wide from apical to bottom.

“The proprietor has a vision, the GM designs the full plan, and past the coaches execute connected the court,” Fernandez said. “I’m ever informed astir what’s going to hap and what’s happening, and that gives maine information to past bash my job… We ever person opinions and stock opinions. I’ve been gathering a precise bully narration with the beforehand office.”