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Report: Joe Johnson not interested in buyout from Nets

Noah K. Murray / USA TODAY Sports

Even with his team scuffling badly and its front office in turmoil, Brooklyn Nets shooting guard Joe Johnson reportedly wants to stay put, for now at least.

The 34-year-old impending free agent has no interest in being bought out of the final half-season of his contract, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.

Johnson is making nearly $25 million this season, the last of a six-year deal he signed with the Atlanta Hawks in the summer of 2010. It's been arguably his least productive campaign; he's averaging 11.1 points while shooting 36.9 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from 3-point range, with a career-worst 8.8 PER.

The Nets worked out a buyout with point guard Deron Williams via the stretch provision this past summer, with an eye on ducking the luxury tax. They have no obvious incentive to do so with Johnson, unless he agrees to take less than his prorated salary in a buyout and save the team some money.

Otherwise, they can just wait out the rest of the season, after which Johnson's deal will come off the ledger and grant the team a measure of financial flexibility it hasn't enjoyed in a half-decade.

Their other option would be to try and use Johnson's massive expiring contract as a trade chip. While taking on long-term salary might seem counterintuitive given where the Nets are at, by agreeing to absorb a bad contract from another team they may conceivably be able to pry loose a draft pick. At this point, they need as many of those as they can get their hands on.

- With h/t to The Brooklyn Game

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