Nets waive Joe Johnson
After four fruitless seasons and nearly $90 million spent, the Joe Johnson era is over in Brooklyn.
The Nets announced Thursday they waived the 34-year-old swingman, giving him a chance to chase a ring with a contending team as his illustrious career comes to an end.
As part of the buyout transaction, Johnson will reportedly give back $3 million off of his original deal.
"The Nets want to thank Joe for his many contributions to the team and the organization," said Nets general manager Sean Marks. "Joe has been a quality professional since joining the Nets four years ago, was a valued member of three playoff teams, and provided many thrilling moments for his teammates and Nets' fans. We wish him much success in the future."
More Sean Marks on Johnson: “I think he’s deserved the right to (play on a playoff team if that’s what he wants)."
— devin kharpertian (@uuords) February 25, 2016
Johnson played 288 regular-season games with the Nets since being acquired in one of the many ill-fated moves during the Billy King regime. Johnson averaged 15.4 points, four rebounds, and 3.6 assists during his time in Brooklyn, and participated in three playoff runs from 2013-2015.
Despite his age, Johnson still remains a useful rotation piece. Even in a lost season for Brooklyn, Johnson was one of the team's few reliable contributors, averaging 11.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 4.1 assists while shooting 37.1 percent from deep.
As such, a gaggle of teams are interested in signing Johnson. ESPN's Marc Stein reports the Atlanta Hawks, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Toronto Raptors are all hot on the seven-time All-Star's tail.