The Golden State Warriors don’t have many weaknesses, but 3-point shooting off the bench has been one of them this season. With Andre Iguodala currently shooting 23.4 percent from deep and Patrick McCaw shooting 24.6 percent, adding a reinforcement in that area would make the Warriors feel that much better heading into the postseason.
While Golden State couldn’t make any changes at the trade deadline, they still have options on the buyout market. One of those options could be veteran shooting guard Joe Johnson, who the Warriors would be favorites to land if he can receive a buyout from the Sacramento Kings, according to Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. The Warriors will likely have to compete with the Celtics, Rockets and Thunder for his services.
Joe Johnson is expected to seek–and receive–a buyout from Sacramento, per sources, and will be coveted: Golden State, Boston will be among the early favorites.
— Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) February 8, 2018
Rockets and Thunder seems to be the early front runners. He still has to reach a deal. https://t.co/MQ5D50Nkap
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) February 8, 2018
Rockets have been, and are, very interested in Joe Johnson as a potential add, and have been working on the assumption that he’d be available one way or the other after trade deadline, per source.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) February 8, 2018
Johnson was traded to the Kings from the Utah Jazz on Thursday, as part of a three-team deal that saw the Cleveland Cavaliers land George Hill from Sacramento and Rodney Hood from the Utah Jazz. Johnson, 36, has been relegated to 32 games this season due to a wrist injury, and averaging just 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 42.0 percent from the field and 27.4 percent from three-point range when he has played. But Johnson is a 37.2 percent career 3-point shooter who made 41.1 percent last season, and would be shooting almost exclusively wide open shots in Golden State.