League sources confirmed to The Brooklyn Game that one such player the Nets inquired about was forward Ivan Johnson, who recently finished a season in China’s Chinese Basketball Association. The Nets could either sign Johnson to a veteran’s minimum contract at any time, or use their Disabled Player Exception any time through March 10th to sign him to a contract for up to $5.25 million. Even signing Johnson for just the minimum would cost them an additional $5 million in luxury tax.
Nothing is imminent, and the Nets will likely wait until the March 1st buyout deadline before deciding on what to do with their final spot, according to a team source.
The 29-year-old Johnson played two seasons with the Atlanta Hawks from 2011 to 2013, averaging 6.5 points and 3.9 rebounds in 15.8 minutes per game. He spent the last year playing in China for the Zhejiang Golden Bulls of the Chinese Basketball Association, averaging 26 points and 9.9 rebounds per game in 24 games. But the Golden Bulls missed the playoffs with a 13-21 record, and Johnson is open to returning to the states now that his CBA season is over.
