Brooklyn Nets Give Offer Sheet To Tyler Johnson

The Brooklyn Nets have reportedly agreed to a four-year, $50 million deal with restricted free agent Tyler Johnson of the Miami Heat.

The Brooklyn Nets came into free agency with almost $55 million to spend on players. The Nets roster is pretty barren outside of Brook Lopez, so they needed help in plenty of areas. The Nets quickly got to filling those needs, as they agreed with numerous players in the early going.

Jeremy Lin was the first domino to fall, as the Nets agreed to a three-year, $36 million deal with him. Next it was Justin Hamilton, who signed a two-year, $6 million deal. The Nets found a replacement for Thaddeus Young, signing Trevor Booker to a two-year, $18 million deal.

Sean Marks was doing well adding talent without spending an absurd amount of money, as we have seen other teams do thus far in free agency. Marks is not done yet though, as it looks like he has snagged a younger player with some upside.

Sources confirmed Sunday that the Nets have signed Tyler Johnson of the Miami Heat to a four-year, $50 million deal, with the fourth year being a player option. But, Johnson is a restricted free agent, so the Heat have a chance to match the offer.

The Nets did everything they could to make sure that the Heat won’t, as they signed Johnson to a ‘poison pill’ contract. Using the Gilbert Arenas provision, the Nets have backloaded Johnson’s contract, hoping that it will scare away the Heat.

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While Johnson would make $12.5 annually with the Nets if the Heat do not match, that is not the case if the Heat match the offer sheet. If the Heat match, they will pay Johnson $5.6 million in Year 1, with the normal 4.5 percent increase in Year 2.

But, Year 3 and Year 4 would see massive increases in his pay, as the Heat would have to pay him almost $19 million in 2018-19 and $19.6 million in 2019-20. While the money earned will not changed, the cap hits will be different as it would amount to $12.5 every season with the Nets but see a major increase with the Heat.

Johnson is the third player to receive the poison pill contract, as Jeremy Lin and Omer Asik each received one from the Houston Rockets in 2012, with the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls both respectively declining to match.

Johnson would be an excellent addition to the Nets as either their new shooting guard next to Lin in the starting lineup, or coming off the bench as their sixth man. At 6-feet-4 inches tall, he is big enough to handle shooting guard but also athletic enough to keep up with point guards.

Johnson is a career 37.8 percent three-point shooter, so he can fit next to Lin to help space the floor or use his versatility to play both guard spots off the bench.

Johnson was regarded by Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra as a key member of the Heat’s developing young core along with Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson, and the Nets want to make him a part of their developing young core.

Next: Brooklyn Nets: 5 Point Guard Options This Summer

Johnson, along with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Chris McCullough, Caris LeVert and Isaiah Whitehead, could finally give the Nets a foundation to begin building upon alongside Lopez. While the Nets may still not be contenders, they are an improvement over last season and heading in the right direction.

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