Former NBA shooting guard Joe Johnson may have a comeback in the works. After showing out in the BIG3 basketball league, Johnson will work out for three NBA teams, according to ESPN.
In one season with the three-on-three league, Johnson led his team, the Triplets, which features other former NBA players such as Al Jefferson and Jannero Pargo, to the league championship. Johnson was named league MVP shortly before.
Johnson played 17 seasons in the NBA, most notably with the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets. The 10th pick in the 2001 NBA Draft, Johnson has made seven All-Star teams, and averaged 16 points, four rebounds and four assists in his career.
During his prime, Johnson was a great scoring threat, including from beyond the arc. He earned the nickname “ISO Joe” for his one-on-one scoring abilities.
After his successful BIG3 season, Johnson will workout for the Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks and the Brooklyn Nets. These teams will seek to add a veteran who can knock down threes off the bench, as well as be a locker room factor.
At 38-years-old, Johnson would be one of the oldest players in the NBA. Still, teams are interested.
Johnson last played in 2018 with the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets, despite not making much of an impact.
Of the three teams Johnson will workout with, the Milwaukee Bucks make the most sense as a fit. The team lost shooting this offseason, with Malcolm Brogdan joining the Pacers, and Nikola Mirotic leaving the NBA for Europe.
While they did sign Kyle Korver, Johnson’s former teammate in Atlanta, adding another veteran sharpshooter might help. Veteran presence is always critical when making a title run, and the Bucks came up short of their goal last season.
If Joe Johnson can make a new roster, playing his was back into the NBA from the BIG3, look for other aging stars to potentially follow suit.
Featured image credited to Getty Images.
Stats credited to basketball-reference.com.
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