Keon Johnson joined the Nets in Las Vegas for the summer league as an unrestricted free agent looking for a job.
He apparently aced the interview.
Johnson, who appeared in five games for Brooklyn last season while on a two-way contract, agreed Saturday to a multiyear deal with the Nets, according to multiple reports.
The 22-year-old guard out of Tennessee has averaged 16.3 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 rebounds in four appearances for the Nets in Vegas.
“I feel like I’ve made a decent impression,” Johnson told reporters earlier this week. “It’s a lot of room to grow. But I’ve seen on the film where [there have] been multiple times where I can show my stamp on the game more, and I feel like each day I’ve kind of progressed and got better at that.”
Johnson technically was drafted by the Knicks with the 21st overall pick in 2021 before his rights were traded to the Clippers on draft night for Quentin Grimes (25th overall).
He then was dealt to Portland in the Norman Powell trade and to Phoenix as part of the multi-team Damian Lillard deal before he was waived by the Suns.
The Nets signed Johnson in November, and he spent much of the season with the team’s Long Island affiliate in the G-League.
He totaled 61 minutes in five appearances with the Nets, nailing 4 of 10 3-point attempts and averaging 6.2 points.
Nets assistant coach Steve Hetzel, who is running the summer league squad, previously coached Johnson in Portland.
He said Thursday he’s been “very pleased” with the 6-foot-5 guard’s play at both ends, adding, “I think Keon could be a nightmare defensively.”
The Johnson signing comes one day after the Nets acquired small forward Ziaire Williams from the Grizzlies for former Knicks forward Mamadi Diakite.
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