The front office of the Cleveland Cavaliers appears to have a solid belief that they’ll be able to sign former Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson after the 34-year-old veteran guard was bought out by the team on Thursday afternoon.
That speculation came in a tweet from ESPN’s Marc Stein:
ESPN sources say there is strong confidence within the Cavs' organization that they are in prime position to win the Joe Johnson Sweepstakes
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 25, 2016
Stein noted in another tweet that six other teams are also in pursuit of Johnson, including his former team in Atlanta:
Sources tell ESPN several playoff teams (Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Houston, Miami, OKC and Toronto) are already in pursuit of Joe Johnson
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) February 25, 2016
No team will be able to make an offer until 5 p.m. on Saturday, when Johnson officially clears waivers. The team he chooses must sign him to a deal before next Tuesday in order to have him eligible during the postseason.
Johnson is in the last year of a six-year, $124 million contract he originally signed with the Hawks. He’s currently averaging 11.8 points per game this season and has developed a knack for game-winning shots, hitting seven buzzer-beaters in the last decade.
