Dylan Harper and Cam Johnson? Spurs might get best of both worlds

According to Nets reporter Brian Lewis, Brooklyn wants a second lottery pick for Cam Johnson. Fortunately for them, the Spurs have one they could stand to part with. The number 14 spot currently held by San Antonio is technically still in the lottery, albeit the last one. But this draft is stacked with talent. That generally accepted consensus could be a factor in pulling this off if Brian Wright pulls the trigger.

The Nets have four first-round draft picks: numbers eight, 19, 26, and 27. The lottery selection is theirs, but the other three come from Milwaukee, Houston, and New York. Apparently, that isn't enough for Brooklyn, so maybe San Antonio can come scratch their itch for more lottery picks with a sensible trade.

The Nets want Dylan Harper but that's not happening

Reports indicate Brooklyn covets Rutgers' star guard. Harper's talent is clearly better than the majority of the class, and scouts have signaled somewhat of a drop-off after the number two pick, despite this group of prospects having more talent than previous iterations.

That tells you just how special Harper has the potential to be and highlights why SA will keep that pick unless they're blown away with a deal for a superstar. But the 19-year-old playmaker from New Jersey won't immediately solve San Antonio's shooting problems, and they really need to solve those shooting problems.

Cam Johnson can help them with that, but it may take some convincing to get the Nets to trade him for the 14th pick when what they really want is the number two. However, they need to be reasonable and understand that it's ludicrous to ask for that selection for Johnson. Those things are nowhere near equal.

While Johnson is a highly sought-after marksman, the 29-year-old wing has had injury issues throughout his career. He's never played 70 games and has only played in 65 games or more once in the six years he's been in the NBA. Johnson has played fewer than 60 games in his last two seasons. That has to be a small concern and should impact whatever deal is made for him.

If he's on the court, he's a valuable piece, and he'd afford De'Aaron Fox, Victor Wembanyama, and Stephon Castle the space they need to operate. If they're able to add Kevin Durant to the puzzle, too, they immediately become a championship contender. It sounds like a lot, but ESPN insider Shams Charania predicted this offseason would be the "most craziest ever," so anything is possible.

If Durant and the Spurs still share mutual interest, they could just opt for going after KD instead of Johnson. You'd have the more dynamic scorer, but he'd be much older. I'm greedy. I'd rather have both, and the Spurs have a ton of assets.

They'd have to deplete them to make this happen, but if they can have their cake and eat it too, by drafting Harper and adding Johnson and Durant, swing for the fences. It's worth trying, and if they only end up with two of the three, it's still a massive win.