NBA Rumors: Two polar opposite teams in the Western Conference could spark a bidding war for popular trade deadline candidate Cam Johnson.
While much of the recent trade noise has revolved around Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat, it's impossible to deny that Cameron Johnson is another bigger name that is likely going to emerge as one of the big NBA Trade Deadline targets. With several teams expected to be in pursuit of the talented offensive wing, it will be interesting to see how the trade market for Johnson develops over the next few weeks. With the NBA Trade Deadline (February 6) roughly a month away, the trade waters surrounding Johnson are likely going to begin to rise at some point soon.
According to a recent report, there may be two teams that are going to help drive the early trade market for Johnson early on. Interestingly enough, these two teams are also near polar opposites of each other. The Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder appear to be two teams with their sights set on a move for Johnson. These are two teams heading in quite the opposite direction so far this season but also appear to be ready to make a splash move ahead of the deadline.
The Kings and Thunder are trending in opposite directions
The Kings are a team that desperately needs a boost in the right direction and are currently outside of the top 10 in the Western Conference standings. Even though the Kings have won three straight games recently, this is a team that is just 8-13 in their last 21 games. They're quickly falling out of the playoff race in the West and an acquisition like Johnson could make all the difference for the team if they're going to have any shot to right the ship.
On the other hand, the Thunder are a clear contender that is looking to make a bold splash before the deadline. While the Thunder have clearly been the best team in the Western Conference so far this season, this is a team that still needs some legitimacy. That's where a player like Johnson could come into play. He could completely change the dynamic of this team on the wing and would add another quality player that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the rest of this offense can lean on.
Even though the Kings and Thunder are two initial teams that could end up setting the market for Johnson, there are likely going to be many more teams interested in the 6-foot-8 wing. I'd also imagine the Brooklyn Nets are going to take this process slow and probably take this "bidding war" all the way up to the NBA Trade Deadline. The Kings and Thunder, while they may not be favorites to land Johnson yet, are certainly two teams to keep a close eye on.