Cameron Johnson back to the Phoenix Suns. You're lying if you say you haven't thought of it at least once since he was cruelly sent away.
Well thanks to the people over at PHNX Sports, a scenario might just come up this offseason that could see the former "brother" of Mikal Bridges suit up in The Valley once more. All it is going to cost is the Suns' two most likely and realistic trade assets. Gulp.
Johnson for Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale is steep price
How much you love the former Sun will decide if you're willing to give up both Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale to get a deal done, while also taking on Daron Holmes. Perhaps some kind of draft equity could have been added in for the Suns in the past, but the change to NBA Draft Lottery rules mean that is not going to happen.
Hey @DNVR_Nuggets, you interested? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/xLXPBcy9IN
— PHNX Suns (@PHNX_Suns) May 28, 2026
Taking the financial side out of this, and wouldn't Allen for Johnson straight up be closer to a fair deal? The Suns' marksman is an above average defender and consistently knocks down over 40 percent of his efforts from beyond the arc. His trade value has never been higher.
The same cannot be said for Johnson, who is a fine player but who has also failed to truly pop with the Denver Nuggets. Their underwhelming season is far from on his shoulders alone, but he has never looked close to being the secondary playmaker and pressure relief who can pitch in with 15 points a night.
Instead he managed 12.2 points during the regular season, his lowest output since his third season in the league (which was when he began to find his groove in The Valley and received some Sixth Man of the Year love).
Injuries have also been an issue, and that aforementioned 2021-22 campaign with the Suns also represented a career high in games played at 66, of which 16 were starts. In his first season in Denver he could only manage 54, and there is no reason to believe that will change anytime soon.
The anti-Mikal Bridges if you will.
This is a real heart over head trade, and although the Suns need to put players around Devin Booker who he likes, trusts and can help now (with Johnson ticking all of those boxes), that combination is best left in the past. It looks better that way.
A reunion with Johnson one day sounds great, just not in these conditions and not for the price it would take to bring him back.
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