5 free agents the Pacers should poach from Eastern Conference rivals
By Ben Grunert
Cam Johnson
Cam Johnson is the ultimate sharpshooter in this upcoming free agency class. Like Kuzma, he would almost certainly slot in as a day-one starter at one of Indiana’s forward spots.
In his expanded role with Brooklyn after the trade deadline, Johnson poured in 16.6 points per game across 25 outings. He shot 37.2% from distance with the Nets, but when he shared the court with Chris Paul for 16 of his first 17 games this season, he shot a whopping 46.2% from three.
As a Pacer, Johnson would get to play alongside Chris Paul 2.0 with Haliburton running the show. A career 39.3% outside shooter, Johnson possesses one of the best long-range jumpers in the league. Indiana would be silly not to pursue the 6-foot-8 marksman as he enters free agency.
A player like Johnson would thrive in an offense that moves the ball like Indiana
Despite missing Haliburton and his 10.4 assists per game for 26 regular season contests, the Pacers still ended their 2022-23 campaign with the sixth-most assists in the NBA (27.0 per game). When Haliburton did play, the Pacers averaged 27.4 dimes as a team – good for third-most in the NBA.
While Johnson is 27 years old, he has only played four seasons in the NBA. The forward still has room to grow, and he already showed glimpses of his potential with the Nets. Despite Brooklyn’s early playoff exit, Johnson put up 18.5 points per game in the first round on 42.9% shooting from downtown.
With the Pacers, Johnson could continue to grow his game in a huge way.