After nearly being stolen from the Miami Heat in free agency years ago, guard TyleJohnson has finally ended up with the Brooklyn Nets.
Any Miami Heat lifer will long remember the name Tyler Johnson. His four-year deal for $50-million in the inflated market of 2016 left more of an impact in Miami than he ever did on the floor.
It was Sean Marks and Brooklyn Nets front office who forced the Heat into matching that lucrative offer sheet. As the general manager is known to do, he put Miami in between a rock and a hard place. Now almost four years later to the day, Johnson is signing with the Nets.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was first with reports:
Free agent guard Tyler Johnson has agreed to a deal with the Brooklyn Nets, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 24, 2020
It’s nothing near the contract Brooklyn approached him with in that summer years ago, but Johnson will get a chance to earn a new payday. He’ll head to Orlando, Florida with the Nets to play out the quarantined remainder of the 2019-2020 campaign.
Johnson is a six-year veteran with career averages of 10.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He appeared in 31 games for the Phoenix Suns this year before being released.
The 28-year old is one of many late-year additions fans should prepare to see in the coming days.
Players will have to decide soon whether or not they will make the trip to Orlando and complete the season, projected to begin later next month on July 31st.
With three players having already declined, other signings across the league are imminent. Don’t worry though Heat fans, prized youth Derrick Jones Jr is still planning on suiting up.
As the NBA season prepares to make it’s return, watch for other names that would otherwise remain unsigned to find themselves on a roster. The Miami Heat themselves may end up looking into making an addition. We just know now that addition will not be a Tyler Johnson reunion.