The Warriors are keeping an eye on Cam Johnson trade discussions.

With less than five weeks until the 2025 NBA trade deadline, the Golden State Warriors have some major decisions to make. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., owner Joe Lacob, and the entire organization are on the same page when it comes to finding ways to potentially win another championship with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. That is why several players, like Cam Johnson, have been linked to the Warriors in trade discussions even after the team acquired Dennis Schroder from the Brooklyn Nets.

Before Schroder went to Golden State, there were discussions had between the Nets and Warriors regarding Johnson. Those talks didn’t go anywhere due to the Dubs’ hesitance to surrender valuable assets at the time — draft picks and parts of their young core. While the Warriors have been more willing to explore all opportunities involving any of their players outside of Curry and Green, the idea of pursuing Johnson after acquiring Schroder is still far-fetched due to the burden that the Nets forward’s contract would carry.

Although Golden State isn’t expected to seriously pursue Johnson before the Feb. 6 trade deadline, his situation is still one that this team is monitoring for a couple of reasons. Outside of the idea that Johnson could go to one of the Warriors’ Western Conference rivals, another team that has emerged as a serious trade suitor for him is the Indiana Pacers, league sources told ClutchPoints. Johnson has been on Indiana’s radar dating back to last season, and NBA insider Marc Stein recently reported the Pacers could possibly make a run at the Nets forward.

In the midst of his sixth NBA season, Johnson is averaging 19.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 43.6 percent from three-point range. His two-way abilities and three-point shooting are what make the 28-year-old the most sought-after trade deadline target this season. While Johnson is making $22.5 million this season, his overall apron salary is $27 million, making it near impossible for the Warriors to target him unless they were to part ways with either Andrew Wiggins or Schroder in a package.

Still, the Warriors are monitoring this situation because of who the Pacers would need to give up in a trade for Johnson.

The Pacers and Nets recently held trade discussions surrounding Johnson, sources said. Even though the two sides were not close to finalizing a deal, conversations between the two sides led to whispers around the league of a potential package featuring Obi Toppin, Aaron Nesmith, at least one unprotected first-round pick, and other draft assets.

Jarace Walker, who the Pacers have not been willing to include in trade discussions over the last year, is a player the Nets are high on, sources said. It is unknown if Indiana would be willing to move him for Johnson.

Brooklyn has made it known to teams around the league that they don’t want to take back significant salaries in any trades this season. That is why they acquired De’Anthony Melton, D’Angelo Russell, and Maxwell Lewis in their trades with the Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. A potential Johnson trade involving the Pacers would see Toppin and Nesmith depart Indiana, and both players have multiple years left on their respective contracts. The Warriors, sources said, have shown interest in Nesmith and are monitoring the 25-year-old’s status with the Pacers leading up to the trade deadline.

Originally beginning his career with the Boston Celtics, Nesmith has made a name for himself with the Pacers over the last few seasons as a two-way swingman who can guard multiple positions. Leading up to the trade deadline, Golden State is prioritizing secondary talents who can help build a bridge between head coach Steve Kerr’s first and second units. Given his team-friendly contract and his ability to be a catch-and-shoot threat on the wing, Nesmith is a player who can bring a lot to the table for Golden State.

Warriors to help facilitate Cam Johnson trade?

At this time, there is nothing to suggest that the Pacers and Nets are closing in on a deal involving Johnson. The two sides have held some trade discussions, much like how Brooklyn is fielding calls from a variety of teams for Johnson. Should the Pacers be willing to pull the trigger on a deal to acquire the Nets forward by giving up Nesmith, Toppin, and multiple draft assets, a third team would likely be needed to help facilitate this trade.

Nesmith would help fill the hole at the shooting guard position left behind by De’Anthony Melton, and he would be yet another wing who can impact the game on either side of the ball for Golden State, like Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody. Teams around the league are always searching for athletic wings like Nesmith, given his $33 million contract through the 2026-27 season.

Aside from his talents on the court, Nesmith’s contract allows him to be an asset in possible future trade discussions for a team like the Warriors, who will be hunting for superstar talents who become available over the next few seasons.

Another interesting connection between the Pacers, Nets, and Warriors regarding a possible Johnson trade revolves around Kevon Looney. Looney is in the final year of his contract, making him a trade asset for the Warriors and one of their only paths to upgrading their roster between now and the trade deadline. The veteran center is represented by NBA agent Todd Ramasar of Life Sports Agency, who also represents Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard with the Pacers.

Indiana has been in the market for frontcourt help behind Myles Turner ever since Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman suffered season-ending Achilles injuries, which is why they recently added Thomas Bryant from the Miami Heat. In addition to Johnson, a player like Looney would be of value to the Pacers for several reasons. Between his championship experience and rebounding skills on the court, Looney would be the perfect type of secondary player for Indiana to add by sacrificing Toppin and Nesmith.

The Warriors are hard-capped at the $178.1 million first apron, meaning they would need to match contracts or send out more money than they take back before the trade deadline. If Golden State were included in this scenario with Indiana and Brooklyn and a realistic path to acquiring Nesmith presented itself, then Gary Payton II would suddenly become expendable in the final year of his contract. Payton is a defensive-minded player who will be a free agent in the summer. Head coach Jordi Fernandez and the Nets could certainly hold more interest in a player like Payton than others and potentially even bring him back after the 2024-25 season because of his defensive skills.

Another caveat regarding Brooklyn is that they’ve been receiving calls about big man Day’Ron Sharpe, who could also be moved like Johnson before the trade deadline.

When you connect the dots, everything starts to make more sense. Johnson and Looney fill two key needs for the Pacers. Nesmith is a player the Warriors are monitoring, and Sharpe could replace Looney in Golden State’s rotation. The Nets can continue to stockpile draft assets and bring in versatile players like Toppin, Payton, and others.

The Warriors are currently evaluating all of their options on the trade market for cost-effective moves that won’t tie up the organization’s long-term financial situation, sources said. Flexibility remains a priority for Golden State, and they continue to search for ways to better their outlook during the 2024-25 season.

Nesmith is a player the Warriors hold interest in should he be on the trade block or involved in conversations between the Pacers and Nets for Johnson.