NBA rumours: The Lakers are still one of the teams connected to the trade of Cam Johnson.
Cam Johnson is still a player that the Lakers are interested in adding to their roster.Over the past few weeks, there has been a significant slowdown in the NBA free agency fever.
Even so, a few teams—the Los Angeles Lakers among them—keep looking into the market. The Lakers need to add quality to their squad in order to attempt and make another postseason push.
They lost out on a number of studs, including Klay Thompson. Mikal Bridges was previously dealt by the Brooklyn Nets, and Cam Johnson might be the next player to leave Brooklyn.
According to NBA insider Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Johnson is still connected to a number of teams, including the Lakers. The Brooklyn Nets, who are still in the Eastern Conference, are another team that is stepping back and trying to rebuild in order to secure their future.
The Nets and general manager Sean Marks have sent a message to the rest of the NBA by dealing Bridges, indicating that they are open to moving their players for a fair price.
According to league sources who spoke with Clutch Points, Ben Simmons, who is in the final year of his contract and is expected to make $40.3 million, has no interest in being traded this offseason.
A team seeking to make quick cap room for 2025 would be interested in signing Simmons’ deal, which is set to expire, before the trade deadline. Bojan Bogdanovic, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Cam Johnson are the three forwards that teams throughout the league believe will be moving on soon.
Johnson is the player drawing the most attention among this group of guys. The Rockets, Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers, and San Antonio Spurs have all been linked to Johnson in addition to the Kings’ inquiry, according to sources.
The Toronto Raptors are reportedly interested in Johnson, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Ime Udoka and the Rockets might make a legitimate move for Finney-Smith if they’re searching for a less expensive option.
Other teams who have shown interest include the Raptors, Rockets, Kings, Cavs and Spurs, per Siegel’s latest intel. And, many Nets players could be moved as they enter another chapter in the rebuild.
Siegel also mentions that Dorian Finney-Smith and Bojan Bogdanovic are other trade options for the Nets, and Ben Simmons is a tough one given his deflating interest across the NBA. But, Johnson is the favorite for many teams in the league, and for a number of reasons.
Cam Johnson reconnected with the Lakers.
Johnson’s name gets brought up again for LA, which is not surprising given his prior association with the Lakers. The 2019 first-round draft pick started his NBA career with the Phoenix Suns before being acquired by the Brooklyn Nets in the historic trade for Kevin Durant. He participated in 58 games in 2023–2024, averaging 13.4 PPG, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. As such, he can offer valuable minutes to several NBA teams.
Spencer Dinwiddie and the Dallas Mavericks agreed to a one-year contract on Monday, further reducing the Lakers’ choices. There aren’t as many trade targets available throughout the league as there were previously, so Rob Pelinka and company may not have many options right now. Johnson may be moving shortly because Summer League is coming to an end.