Expect former Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Johnson to shine with Brooklyn Nets

The Phoenix Suns waived Tyler Johnson after the trade deadline, and now he is with the Brooklyn Nets for Disney. Expect him to shine.

Part of this notion is unadulterated pessimism; a sort of, “Figures!” mentality that has taken root in all too many Phoenix Suns fans in recent years. However, I think Tyler Johnson is going to excel with the Brooklyn Nets in the Disney bubble.

Tyler Johnson only played in 31 games for the Suns this season, and most of his did-not-plays were of the dreaded coach’s decision variety. That means the Rober Sarver paid him roughly $620,000 per game appearance, and if we really want to get technical, $37,000 for every minute of game action he saw.

He didn’t exactly live up to that cost, as he put up career-low numbers across the board and after the Suns couldn’t find anyone willing to trade for him, Jones just waived him, and Sarver is still paying him.

Former Phoenix Suns guard Tyler Johnson will play well for the Brooklyn Nets.

Now, he will finish out the final eight games of the regular season (and most likely at least one round of the playoffs) with the Brooklyn Nets.

Johnson’s path to Brooklyn was, in some ways, serendipitous. Four years ago, the Nets offered him a four-year, $50 million deal in an effort to pluck him from the Miami Heat, where he was an emerging combo-guard role player for the Miami Heat.

Even at the time, the deal was seen as an overpayment, and yet, the Heat matched the offer to keep him in Miami.

To put that in today’s terms with current Suns player, it would kind of be like a team offered $50 million to Dario Saric this offseason, and the Suns decided to match it.

Now, four years later, Johnson will play the final eight games (plus playoffs) with the Nets and I have a gut feeling he is going to shine.

Part of this reasoning is because the Nets don’t really don’t have anyone else to play. Kevin Durant is out, Kyrie Irving is out, DeAndre Jordan is out, Wilson Chandler is out, Nicolas Claxton is out (for what that’s worth), and Spencer Dinwiddie just tested positive for COVID-19.

Can the Suns just swap places with the Nets and take their playoff spot since they seemingly don’t even really want it? No? Ugh, stupid Eastern Conference.

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Anyway, this dearth of talent means the team is going to be led by Joe Harris who put up a whopping 13.9 points per game this season. If nothing else, an opportunity should be there for Tyler.

I can already hear Suns Twitter complaining about how Tyler Johnson is the leading scorer for a playoff team, and it isn’t the Suns. It feels inevitable.

He will have new scenery, play for a team that has long coveted him, and enjoy renewed motivation, considering he will also be auditioning for an NBA roster spot next season, albeit almost certainly for less money.

It is the same kind of motivation the Phoenix Suns hope will propel Cameron Payne to some Disney success.

I’m hoping for the best for Tyler Johnson. From most all reports, he was a great guy and even served as a veteran mentor for rookie Ty Jerome. Hopefully, he plays well for the Nets and winds up on a team next season.

However, I also hope that team doesn’t way overpay him and subsequently trade him to the Suns a year or two down the road, either.

Still, best of luck.