During his introductory press conference with the Denver Nuggets, Cam Johnson took a moment to express his appreciation for Brooklyn Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez, following a major offseason trade that sent him from Brooklyn to Denver in exchange for Michael Porter Jr.
Reflecting on his time with the Nets, Johnson didn’t hold back his admiration for the coaching staff, particularly Fernandez.
“Everything about that was positive and I have so much respect for that coaching staff in Brooklyn. I really appreciated them, I really loved playing for Jordi [Fernandez],” Johnson said. “I think Jordi has a tremendously bright future in this league and I think Brooklyn has a bright future too.”
Johnson also spoke highly of Nets player development coach Connor Griffin — a former member of the Nuggets’ staff — who helped reassure him about the move.
“So my PD guy in Brooklyn was Connor Griffin who spent years here too. And so I talked to them after the season and they said nothing but great things about the people on staff here, the people in the building, DA, the guys on the team, and they said it’s a perfect situation for me and they know my game, they know me… and so I trust them in that,” Johnson explained. “I talked to Connor right after the trade and he’s like you’re in a great place man.”
The 6-foot-8 forward noted that NBA relationships extend beyond team changes, describing the Brooklyn staff as “my guys for sure.”
Johnson joins Denver fresh off the best season of his career, averaging 18.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, while shooting 47.5% from the floor and 39% from deep across 57 games. He played 31.6 minutes per game and served as a dependable scorer for the Nets throughout the 2024–25 campaign.
The Nuggets targeted Johnson as part of a broader effort to retool their roster after falling to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals. Along with Johnson, Denver also brought in Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., and traded for center Jonas Valanciunas — though Valanciunas’ future remains in question due to potential EuroLeague interest.
Now expected to play a major role alongside Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Johnson’s shooting, floor-spacing, and defensive skills will be crucial as the Nuggets prepare for the 2025–26 season without Porter Jr.
