Cam Johnson says he needs to ease offensive pressure on Jokic and Murray

Entering his second year with the Denver Nuggets, forward Cam Johnson acknowledged the challenges of adapting to a new tactical system while recognizing the need to ease the offensive pressure on Jamal and Jokic. Avant toute chose, je suis reconnaissant d’être de retour, he stated.

Cam Johnson manages roster retention after offseason trades

Before trade discussions involving Peyton Watson and the Denver front office resolved with Watson moving to Cleveland, Cam Johnson understood his position in Colorado carried uncertainty. Acquired a year prior from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Michael Porter Jr., the 30-year-old forward prepared for another campaign alongside two-time MVP Nikola Jokic following a debut season that yielded mixed results. Johnson noted that adjusting to a different offensive scheme than those he experienced earlier in his career created an initial learning curve regarding spacing and timing, explaining that it took time to figure out spacing, identify shot origins, and recognize moments to be aggressive before understanding it better toward the end of the schedule.

Offensive adaptation yields career-best shooting efficiency

Despite logging a regular-season average of 12.2 points per game—his lowest output since his third year with the Phoenix Suns—Johnson established a career-high mark by shooting 43% from beyond the arc. His production increased toward the conclusion of the schedule, averaging over 15 points across his final 15 regular-season appearances. During the opening round of the postseason, Johnson experienced fluctuating performances before closing the team’s elimination game with 27 points in Game 6.

Easing the playoff workload for Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray

Reflecting on the movement-heavy Denver offense, Johnson compared his integration process to the established habits of teammates Christian Braun and Peyton Watson. He emphasized that cutting and running off staggered screens alongside Jokic and Jamal Murray requires precise timing that extends beyond immediate observation, noting C’est quelque chose qui semble très facile, mais ça ne vient pas du jour au lendemain and adding J’ai dit à CB (Christian Braun) et à P-Wat l’an dernier qu’ils avaient toujours été très bons dans le jeu de déplacement, notamment en jouant après les écrans glissés et les coupes vers le panier avec Jok (Nikola Jokic) et Jamal (Murray). Looking toward the upcoming schedule, Johnson stressed the necessity of providing consistent relief for Denver’s primary playmakers, pointing out that both Murray and Jokic faced intense defensive pressure throughout their postseason series where they were constantly harassed, which caused the team to be slowed down more than expected and rendered regular-season tactics less effective.