Getty Miami Heat potential trade target Cam Johnson
There has been no real movement from the Miami Heat thus far when it comes to adding players in free agency, though there is still plenty of room on the roster. And there’s still a question about what the team might do with forward Caleb Martin, who opted out of the final year and $7 million of his contract, but has not yet found a new team in free agency.
The Heat could, potentially, target a Martin replacement, though, one who is similarly versatile while ranking among the best frontcourt shooters in the league—the kind of two-way, 3-point threat the Heat could use at power forward.
The player: Brooklyn Nets stretch-4 Cam Johnson, who is expected to be available for trade as the Nets move into a rebuilding phase.
The Miami Heat are said to have interest in Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan, but would have to dump off salary in order to make a deal for DeRozan. The Heat are over the first apron of the NBA’s luxury tax, according to the Miami Herald, which would prevent them from making sign-and-trade deals. The Heat would not be able to offer DeRozan more than the taxpayer midlevel exception, which is a little more than $5 million per year.
Miami Heat Can Still Make Trades
The Heat can still make trades, though, as long as the salaries match within 110%. Making a deal work for Johnson makes sense for a team that was 19th (12.5 per game) in 3-pointers made.
Johnson is not a star, but he is the type of player who can star in his role—as a good two-way forward who brings the kind of positional versatility needed in the modern NBA. He can guard three positions, and won’t get completely lost if he is forced into mismatches against point guards or center, an increasingly important aspect of surviving in the playoffs.
And he can shoot. That has always been the draw to Johnson, since he came out of North Carolina as the No. 11 pick in 2019. He is a career 39.2% shooter, and has shot better than 39% from the 3-point arc in four of his five NBA seasons.
Tyler Herro for Cam Johnson? Or Terry Rozier & Draft Pick(s)?
The downside, though, has been Johnson’s health, and with their recent injury issues, that might well scare off the Miami Heat.
Johnson dealt with a toe injury for much of last year and has a history of missing significant parts of a season. He did have meniscus surgery on his knee in 2022-23, when he played only 42 games. In all, Johnson has only played 27% of his possible games in his five NBA seasons.
To make a run at him, the Heat would have to pick the kind of package they could present for Johnson. A swap built around Tyler Herro would offer the Nets a younger (Herro is 24, Johnson is 28) scorer as a future scorer or as a trade piece down the road. It’s a lot of give up for Johnson, but the fit and contract for Johson is, arguably, better for Miami.
Johnson is in the second year of a four-year, $95 million contract.
Alternatively, the Heat could swap Terry Rozier to Brooklyn, but would need to include at least one first-round pick—and likely more—to make such a deal work.
“I can’t see them getting two first-rounders for (Johnson),” one NBA executive told Heavy Sports. “I can see them asking for two first rounders, but not getting them. He is a good player, he is a stretch-4 and those are hard to find. Not real big (6-foot-8) but he is a good defender, can switch a lot, and really, a good third option who can stretch the floor for you. …
“I’d really like him on the Heat, as a stretch-4 who you can play with Bam (Adebayo) and who can give some space for Jimmy Butler. He’d be a strong fit there.”