Since this offseason, Cam Johnson has been one of the Nets’ biggest trade assets. After dealing away Mikal Bridges to the Knicks, the franchise is reportedly going all in on a rebuild. Needless to say, the Nets need to be very cautious about how they use Cam to keep his trade value high and get valuable assets in return. However, they failed to protect him tonight as the star forward suffered an unfortunate injury that led to him leaving midway through the Warriors game.

The incident occurred early in the opening quarter when Johnson grabbed an offensive rebound off a missed shot. Although he could make the easy layup under the basket, he accidentally stepped on Draymond Green’s foot when he turned to get back on defense. That led to him tweaking his right ankle. Sure enough, he looked in visible pain and began limping immediately while the play continued.

Taking advantage of Johnson’s injury, the Warriors converted a transition three on the other end, courtesy of Stephen Curry. Seeing their star struggle, the Nets called a timeout and subbed him out of the game. Well, he tried to play through the injury as he returned later in the game. But after spending fourteen minutes on the court, he headed to the locker room again. This time permanently, for the remainder of the game due to a right ankle sprain.

With his night ending early, Johnson finished with 5 points and two boards. The severity of his injury remains unknown, but the Nets would hope he does not stay out for too long, especially with a potential trade on the cards.

Cam Johnson’s trade value is at an all-time high and the Warriors emerge as potential suitors

Of course, a lot of front offices will take notice of Cam’s injury because his trade value is currently the highest it has ever been. That’s because he is averaging a career-high 19.1 points and is turning out to be an elite young scorer. Moreover, he is shooting 42.6% from deep range, a quality most teams look for in their big men. As expected, his versatile skillset puts him under many teams’ radar, including the Warriors.

With De’Anthony Melton out for the season and the absence of an All-Star caliber big man, the Warriors could reportedly pursue a trade to acquire Johnson. Well, he will probably excel playing alongside Steph as a solid three and D guy. Although the Warriors are hard capped at the first apron and are only $500K below that threshold, they could make an intriguing offer to the Nets.

As per analyst Jake Weinbach, Mike Dunleavy could offer the Nets a package with Melton, an additional expiring salary, and a future first-round pick in exchange for the big man. But, it will be difficult to pull off because the Warriors need to fulfill the minimum 14-man roster criteria. Moreover, more teams will fight to get their hands on Johnson.

Do you think the Warriors can pull off the trade against all odds?