Last night, reports trickled out the Detroit Pistons were asking the Brooklyn Nets about Joe Johnson, a player Brooklyn has purportedly been offering since December. On the Detroit side, the exchange would involve injured point guard Brandon Jennings and a series of expiring deals. Johnson has acknowledged he’s being shopped, but a move to Detroit is probably not in his future.
ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk firsted reported the deal, per league sources.
Hearing Detroit has reached out to Nets to inquire about Joe Johnson according to league sources.
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 17, 2015
Detroit's interest in Joe Johnson included reaching out to Nets about a package of Brandon Jennings + expiring contracts for Joe per sources
— Ohm Youngmisuk (@NotoriousOHM) February 17, 2015
Except, according to league source who spoke with Robert Windrem of NetsDaily.com two days ago, the Johnson-to-Pistons rumor is “nothing,” and there were no discussions about it last night:
A league source familiar with the Nets thinking told NetsDaily the Johnson-to-Pistons story is "nothing."
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) February 17, 2015
Source said salary dumps like Johnson-to-Pistons proposal could have done with him or other players last week or last month.
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) February 17, 2015
The same source who called yesterday's ESPN report on Pistons deal "nothing" says tonight there are no discussions between the two teams.
— NetsDaily (@NetsDaily) February 19, 2015
But Johnson will still have his phone on today. His agent confirmed to him, “My name is out there,” per Tim Bontemps of New York Post and Rod Boone of Newsday:
Joe said he spoke with his agent about trade rumors and "yeah the rumors are true. My name is out there." Said his phone will be on tomorrow
— Rod Boone (@rodboone) February 19, 2015
Joe Johnson said rumors are true about his name being out there, and admitted that "it's been kind of different" this year because of it.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) February 19, 2015
FULL COVERAGE OF THE NBA TRADE DEADLINE
[H/T Hoops Rumors]
