10 Sacramento Kings that never played a single minute
By Tyler Watts
2. Joe Johnson
Johnson was an absolute bucket and one of the best scorers in the NBA during his prime. The 6’7 wing was a seven-time All-Star and averaged more than 20 points per game for five straight seasons from 2006 to 2010. He made third-team All-NBA in 2010 and led the Hawks in scoring on four straight playoff teams.
The Kings did not get him until Feb. 2018 in a three-team trade. The Jazz were looking to get off his salary as the 36-year-old had severely declined. He averaged 7.3 points and 3.3 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per game in Utah, but Sacramento had little use for a veteran backup. Johnson was waived after just three days with the Kings and wound up signing with the Rockets for the remainder of the year.
The 6’7 wing did not play in the NBA again until Dec. of 2021 when he got less than two minutes in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Johnson continues to play in the Big3, and it helped him get an opportunity with the Celtics.
Things could have been different for the Sacramento Kings if they had acquired prime Joe Johnson. Unfortunately, he was well past his peak, which made his stay extremely short.