In a pair of press releases issued late Wednesday, the Brooklyn Nets announced that they have signed guard Tyler Johnson for the remainder of the 2020 season, and will be without Nicolas Claxton for the rest of the year as he recovers from left shoulder surgery.
Johnson appeared in 31 games earlier this season with Phoenix, averaging 5.7 points per game, but was released in February as the Suns decided to give their younger talent more playing time. He has been a long-time target of the Nets, who signed Johnson to a four-year, $50 million offer sheet when he was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2016; Miami matched that offer and Johnson remained with the Heat, staying there for two-plus seasons before being dealt to Phoenix in February 2019.
The team opened up a roster spot for Johnson late Tuesday night by requesting waivers on Theo Pinson.
As for Claxton, the rookie center underwent what the team termed “successful arthroscopic labrum repair surgery on his left shoulder” on Wednesday and will not join the team in Orlando for the resumption of the season, but he is expected to be ready for training camp next season.
Claxton was selected with the first pick of the second round (No. 31 overall) in the 2019 NBA Draft and suited up 15 times for Brooklyn this year, averaging 4.4 points and 2.9 rebounds for the Nets. He also played nine games in the G-League, averaging 16.7 points (on an impressive 66 percent shooting from the field) and 7.3 boards for the Long Island Nets.