Should the Miami Heat inquire about Cameron Johnson? (Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
There’s no question that the next few weeks for the Miami Heat are quite important.
After acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Heat have plenty of holes to fill without much financial flexibility or assets. They still have to fill out a roster, but they don’t have many avenues at their disposal.
That’s not stopping them from canvassing the league just in case something pops up. Out West, the Denver Nuggets are one notable team looking to shave money off their tax bill, with Cam Johnson potentially being on the chopping block. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, the Heat are one of many teams that have gauged interest in the veteran wing.
“Meanwhile, as the Nuggets navigate getting below the second apron, sharpshooting forward Cam Johnson has drawn trade interest from several teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Clippers, and Orlando Magic, league sources told HoopsHype,” Scotto wrote earlier this week.
Evaluating Heat’s chances at acquiring Cameron Johnson:
Andrew Wiggins’ new three-year extension may make it difficult to seamlessly fit Johnson. But the on-court fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo is undeniable.
Last season, he averaged 12.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists on a career-best 43.0 percent shooting from 3-point range. He struggled in Denver. But at his height, Johnson is a good connector who can knock down threes, score at multiple levels with capable team defense.
Johnson is also entering the final year of his contract with a $23.1 million cap hit. The most likely trade candidate would be young Heat wing Nikola Jovic, coming off a down season with four years, $62.4 million left on his contract.
There’s uncertainty whether Denver would want to absorb that salary with limited future flexibility. Wiggins playing on his $30.2 million cap hit this upcoming season didn’t make life easier for the Heat’s 2026-27 roster construction. Johnson would provide the Heat some flexibility as an expiring, and he would be a clear upgrade over Jovic.
But it takes two to tango at the end of the day.
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