Cam Johnson returns healthy and blends right into Nets practice
Nets forward Cameron Johnson looks on during training camp at the Brooklyn Nets HSS Training Center on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Cam Johnson pumped his arm after a free throw Saturday and then lifted up Harry Giles III with a bear hug. Giles responded with what every Nets fan probably thought with Johnson’s return to practice.
“Welcome back, C!” Giles said.
Johnson was a full participant for the first time since suffering a strained left hamstring at the start of training camp. It means that for the time being, the Nets’ starting lineup is healthy before Wednesday’s season opener.
After missing all of preseason, Johnson was glad to put into action what he saw from the sideline.
“It felt good getting up and down,” he said. “I’ve been watching, observing, seeing what we’re trying to put in, how we’re trying to execute things offensively and defensively. And so being able to get in there and put that observation to practice was fun today.”
The Nets missed the 6-8 forward’s ability to space the floor with his 40% shooting on three-pointers the last two seasons. He also missed time to develop on-court chemistry with Ben Simmons; they played only three games together last season before Simmons was shut down with his back injury. .
Coach Jacque Vaughn said he’ll ease Johnson back Wednesday because he hasn’t played a competitive game since Sept. 10 with the United States in the FIBA World Cup. He won’t play long stretches and the Nets will be smart with his minutes early in the season.
“His progression to get to this point has been pretty methodical and our approach [was] getting him to feel comfortable when he’s back on the floor,” Vaughn said. “So he’s done the work behind the scenes to be in a position to practice today and hopefully he continues to . . . We got three more days to get some more comfort, being on the floor and being out there with a different group.”
Johnson took his time out as a positive to get excited about the Nets’ potential with their size, length and athleticism. As far as adjusting to Simmons, he thinks it’ll be easy, given how many open looks he can get with Simmons pushing the ball in transition.
“I’ve watched for a while now, you know, somebody like JJ Redick who was able to benefit so much off of playing with him,” Johnson said. “I think as we begin to learn how each other plays and understand how we can play off of each other, the potential there is huge.”
He also helped mentor rookie Dariq Whitehead by pointing out coverages and what his role can be when he returns from foot surgery. It all helped him understand what the Nets hope to implement in Vaughn’s first full season.
“Like he never left, man. That’s a true pro. Happy and excited to see him back,” Lonnie Walker IV said. “I haven’t really gotten the chance to really play with him. So to watch his ability to shoot, though, it’s a beautiful thing to watch.”
Johnson made it look easy after practice as he sank seven consecutive three-point shots from the right corner. After his last attempt, he pumped his fist twice before slapping hands with Nets personnel nearby.
“Sometimes you can’t see the picture when you’re in the frame,” Johnson said. “So being on the outside, seeing how our offense works, our defense works, and then just coming back with a couple ideas of my own of trying to work with the guys we have. Just putting it all into practice, man.”
Notes & quotes: Dennis Smith Jr. did not participate in practice Saturday because he’s recovering from an ankle sprain that caused him to miss the last two preseason games. Vaughn hasn’t decided yet if he’ll play Wednesday but said there’s enough time to evaluate before making a decision. “I’ll never second-guess that young man whether he’s going to be available or not,” Vaughn said.
Evan Barnes covers the Giants for Newsday. He previously covered the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
