Cameron Johnson has emerged as an important part of the Phoenix Suns’ success.
The importance of role players has long been recognized and the impact they have on their respective teams. Sure it’s the superstar players who generate ticket sales and are the main attractions that draw the fans to the arenas but it’s the role players who often are the players who come through when their team really needs them the most.
Think about Robert Horry and the clutch shots he made during his career as a member of the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs and the impact he made during those championship runs.
Let’s not forget the playoff success made possible by players such as Deshawn Stevenson and Stephen Jackson and most recently the contributions made by PJ Tucker and the instrumental role he played in helping the Milwaukee Bucks win a title last season.
Cameron Johnson has the ability to have this same impact as these other aforementioned individuals as the Phoenix Suns attempt to reach consecutive NBA Finals appearances. Johnson could very well be the difference-maker when it comes to the Suns winning that coveted championship that slipped out of their grasp last season after taking a 2-0 lead in the series. Johnson has been playing exceptionally well as of late averaging 12.9 points over his last 19 games scoring double figures in each one.
Johnson’s primary role has been providing a spark coming off the bench but he was recently inserted into the starting lineup after Jae Crowder was placed in health and safety protocols and he has been thriving ever since.
Head coach Monty Williams will more than likely relegate Johnson back to the bench once Crowder returns, but he becomes one of the main offensive options once Devin Booker and Crowder go to the bench allowing him more touches and more opportunities to score.
That way, Johnson can establish himself on the offensive end and make opposing defenses account for his presence as a legitimate threat to score. Johnson is a very underrated player with good length, is a scrappy defender who can move his feet and keep up with quicker guards on the perimeter, and is great at defending passing lanes as he often generates steals that lead to baskets in transition.
Johnson is a sniper with the ability to shoot it from anywhere on the floor but he has much more to offer as he has developed his game in all areas incrementally since last season. He has become a smart, savvy player who almost always makes the right decision with the ball. During the Finals, Johnson averaged 8.5 points per game for the Suns and made many key plays which solidified his importance to the team moving forward.
The window of opportunity for the Suns is wide open with their mix of veterans and young players who gained valuable experience during their run to the Finals It’s going to be interesting to see how Williams will deploy Johnson as he can utilize his versatility in a number of ways.