Welcome Cam Johnson

[Mulhollanddrive]

If he keeps up this form I think he'd ask for $18m (Robinson, Fournier, Gallinari prototype) and we'd have to push pretty close to that. It makes the Shamet trade / salary even more perplexing.

[theman]

Does Cam continue to start once Crowder returns or has Cam won the starting job?

[dremill24]

Does Cam continue to start once Crowder returns or has Cam won the starting job?

Not giving responders much of a choice there

[theman]

Does Cam continue to start once Crowder returns or has Cam won the starting job?

Not giving responders much of a choice there

I'm not sure what you mean Cam could start or Crowder could start. There is a choice.

[dremill24]

Does Cam continue to start once Crowder returns or has Cam won the starting job?

Not giving responders much of a choice there

I'm not sure what you mean Cam could start or Crowder could start. There is a choice.

Lol I'm aware that's what you meant, just not what it says. Bad joke, sorry

[bwgood77]

Not giving responders much of a choice there

I'm not sure what you mean Cam could start or Crowder could start. There is a choice.

Lol I'm aware that's what you meant, just not what it says

Yeah, does he continue to start or win the starting job? hmmm, both or neither. I think Crowder will start, though maybe not his first game back. Cam is important off the bench and I think they probably told Crowder he would start when they signed him. He is important in the starting lineup for being vocal, a leader, defense, etc, though Cam is probably a better basketball player at this point.

[NapoleonII]

Crowder needs to take a step back, and get more time with the bench - though I think he should continue to start.

It's ridiculous that Cam Johnson is averaging 24 mpg vs 20mpg as he did as a rookie. With his stroke, his efficiency and improved defense?

[lilfishi22]

Every things tells me Cam should keep the starting spot when Crowder comes back but the issue is that Crowder doesn't have a ton of value on the bench. He doesn't have the bag that Cam does when it comes to a variety of ways to score and off the bench, we sort of need that dynamism. In my mind, Cam has already overtaken Crowder as the starting 4 but I understand that the make up of our roster and the way we play, we are better with Cam bringing his skill set off the bench.

[Frank Lee]

I wouldn’t care who started if CamJo got 28-30 mins per game. More important who finishes anyway, but Crowder has that knack for knocking down 4th Q threes ( to end up with a 3 for 10 night )

[RunDogGun]

I wouldn’t care who started if CamJo got 28-30 mins per game. More important who finishes anyway, but Crowder has that knack for knocking down 4th Q threes ( to end up with a 3 for 10 night )

I agree. Overall I think Cam gives us better options in the starting unit. Crowder is so up and down. Sometimes he comes out with great shooting and tough defense, and other nights he can't hit water if he feel from a boat, and can't defend at all. Maybe watching Cam do well lights a fire under Crowder's butt, and we get a solid starting PF out of this deal. Or maybe we trade Crowder to SAC for Bagley?

Either way, I hope these minutes from guys like Cam and Stix raises the level of play from both the starters and the bench.

[Adrao]

In this moment I like Cam from the bench as Bridges backup and Jalen as Jae backup.

[RunDogGun]

In this moment I like Cam from the bench as Bridges backup and Jalen as Jae backup.

Currently, Cam has been the sub for both Bridges and Crowder, and with people out, we have been running lineups where we have a three guard lineup. I still feel that Cam is more rounded and more consistent. I don't think the rotations change much if Crowder came off the bench, since he should be able to cover both sfs and pfs just like Cam. But if Jalen can step things up, I would look to move Crowder for a much better starting PF.

[Ghost of Kleine]

Evan Sidery (@esidery) Tweeted:
It would be so tough for me to take Cam Johnson out of the starting lineup anytime soon.

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For rundog!

[bwgood77]

From Zach Lowe's 10 Things

Cam Johnson, stretching his game

Johnson has been the league's most accurate high-volume 3-point shooter over the last seven weeks, having drained almost half his triples in that stretch. He has hit multiple 3s in 22 straight games, and scored in double-figures every game since Nov. 27. Yowza.

Johnson can pump-and-go past defenders, and keep the Suns' efficiency machine moving.

Still, Johnson is mostly an off-ball sniper. But amid injuries and virus-related absences, the Suns have let Johnson stretch himself. He's trying a few more mid-rangers, including pull-up 2s.

The results have been uneven. Johnson is shooting poorly on midrangers, and doesn't probe for assists or free throws. But against postseason defenses, you need as many guys as possible who can create something from nothing late in the shot clock. With Phoenix a good bet to earn a top-two seed, there's little harm in giving Johnson leeway.

Johnson's rim attempts are up a tick. He's a cagey cutter, with a knack for bullying smaller defenders on those plays. Johnson catches the ball on the move, lowers his shoulder, and keeps plowing until he's at the basket. (Johnson is shooting a tidy 70% in the restricted area.) That bulldozing becomes important when defenses stick bigger wings on Chris Paul and Devin Booker -- and stash smaller guards on Johnson.

Johnson might have only one "A"-level strength -- lights-out shooting -- but he has very few (maybe zero) glaring weaknesses. Perhaps the best compliment coaches can give a role player is never worrying about him when he's on the floor. Monty Williams would probably say that about Johnson.

[RunDogGun]

Evan Sidery (@esidery) Tweeted:
It would be so tough for me to take Cam Johnson out of the starting lineup anytime soon.

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For rundog!

It is smarter to start Cam. If Cam only gave us 3 pt shooting, then I agree on him coming off the bench.

[NapoleonII]

CamJo's shooting could be even better with the starters.

Teams are so worried about Booker/Ayton/CP3, it'd be nice to splash them with a couple threes in the 1st from a "role-player".

Jae isn't making defenses pay with his shooting, enough.

[Saberestar]

[WeekapaugGroove]

This thread is a trip. It's like 100 posts of 'what the **** was that pick', then pretty shortly after actually seeing him play its a sharp turn to 'oh this dude is actually good'

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[RunDogGun]

This thread is a trip. It's like 100 posts of 'what the **** was that pick', then pretty shortly after actually seeing him play its a sharp turn to 'oh this dude is actually good'

Sent from my SM-G986U using RealGM mobile app

It took him a little bit to get into NBA ready condition, but because he is very smart (both on and off the court), and has great shooting form, he matured quickly. He should be starting.

[RunDogGun]

Evan Sidery (@esidery) Tweeted:
It would be so tough for me to take Cam Johnson out of the starting lineup anytime soon.

Read on Twitter

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For rundog!

Wasn't tough for Monty. The odd thing was when the starters got Crowder the first open three, where this is what I suggested they do for Cam, since he is our best three point shooter, and it would be best for the starting group if Cam got going early. It seems dumb to have him wait 6-7 minutes before getting our best shooter in the line up to open things up for our other starters. What also sucked was Cam only getting 23 minutes shooting 4-8 from three, and Crowder getting the same amount of minutes coming off an injury shooting 1-5 from three.