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Rumor: LA Clippers expected to work out seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson

By Garrett Chorpenning

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: Joe Johnson #6 of the Utah Jazz tries to drive past the defense of Luc Mbah a Moute #12 of the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of the 105-98 win by the Jazz in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 23, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, UT - APRIL 23: Joe Johnson #6 of the Utah Jazz tries to drive past the defense of Luc Mbah a Moute #12 of the Los Angeles Clippers in the second half of the 105-98 win by the Jazz in Game Four of the Western Conference Quarterfinals during the 2017 NBA Playoffs at Vivint Smart Home Arena on April 23, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr/Getty Images) /
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According to rumors, the LA Clippers may be in play to add seven-time All-Star Joe Johnson to their roster for the 2019-2020 season.

The LA Clippers already have one of the deepest rosters, if not the deepest, in the NBA. According to the latest rumors, though, that isn’t about to stop them from adding another potentially valuable piece to the equation: Seven-time All-Star and 2019 BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson.

The information comes from ESPN’s Marc Spears, who wrote on Wednesday that Johnson is currently in Philadelphia, where he’ll be working out for the 76ers on Sunday. After that, the 38-year-old swingman is expected to work out for the LA Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks and Denver Nuggets.

Johnson is certainly well beyond his prime, but during the 2019 BIG3 season, he showed that he’s anything but a has-been. During the course of the eight-game season, Johnson averaged 21.9 points per game and paced the league in total points, assists, field goals made and four-point field goals made. Johnson was also tied for second in three-point field goals made, with 16.

Obviously, the level of competition isn’t as stiff in the BIG3, but Johnson managed to show that he was head and shoulders above the rest of those suiting up. He’s already been named League MVP in his debut season, and this weekend, he has a fairly good shot at winning the BIG3 championship game.

Johnson last played in the NBA during the 2017-2018 season, when he appeared in 55 regular season games between the Utah Jazz and Houston Rockets. Admittedly, he didn’t amount to much that year — those 55 games are highlighted by a lone 20-point performance, and he shot a combined 27.6 percent from three-point range on 2.6 attempts per game.

Those numbers were significantly lower than those he posted the season before, when he averaged 9.2 points per game on 41.1 percent shooting from range. Part of the reason for that drop-off may have to do with the wrist injury he suffered in the early goings of the 2017-2018 season, which kept him sidelined for 21 games.

Johnson’s fit with the LA Clippers is clear: Not only could he provide some quick buckets, but his amount of postseason experience (Johnson’s teams qualified in 13 of the 17 seasons he spent in the NBA) could be beneficial to those who have had more limited runs.

A role with the Clippers makes sense on Johnson’s end as well. There wouldn’t be a lot of pressure on him to perform night in and night out, he wouldn’t be asked to do much, and playing with the Clippers would allow him a good opportunity to win the NBA Finals for the first time in his career.

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Whether the LA Clippers should sign Johnson or not is up for debate, but given the rumor that they want to work him out, they obviously have some interest in adding him to the roster.

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