Pacers re-sign veteran forward James Johnson after cutting him at trade deadline
The Pacers re-signed veteran forward James Johnson on Monday. He had been waived last Thursday to make room for the players they acquired in a four-team trade with the Nets, Suns and Bucks.
The Pacers added forward Jordan Nwora, point guard George Hill and center Serge Ibaka, but did not contribute any current players to the deal, so they had to release three players to add all three and complete the deal. Johnson was waived along with forward Terry Taylor and center Goga Bitadze. However, the Pacers immediately waived Ibaka and they were able to re-sign Johnson once he cleared waivers Monday.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle and the Pacers players have raved about the 35-year-old Johnson's leadership and locker room presence. He has appeared in just 12 games and played a total of 98 minutes this season, scoring 26 points for an average of 2.2 per game, but he has functioned as an additional coach on the bench and a positive influence in the locker room. Johnson, a first-round pick out of Wake Forest in 2009, has played for 10 teams in 14 seasons and has played on five playoff teams, including the Raptors squad that reached the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals.
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"Very important for us," Carlisle said of re-signing Johnson. "Glad that we could get it worked out. He's contributed so much to our situation just in terms of setting examples, mentoring, being very positive, being very truthful. He has a really strong reputation in this league as a great competitors, as a very tough guy. Those kinds of things. He's been a difference maker so it's great to have him back on board.
Johnson said that when he was told Thursday he was being released, he was also told by the Pacers that they intended to re-sign him. The Pacers publicly indicated that as well on Friday. Carlisle said in his pre-game press conference that he was "hopeful" the Pacers could bring Johnson back. Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard said Friday he couldn't comment on players directly before they cleared waivers but said he would be open to bringing someone back.
However, he had to formally step away from the team from Thursday until Monday. He attended Friday night's home game sitting in a seat near the basket next to Tyrese Haliburton's mother, but he didn't make the trip to Washington, D.C. with the team for Saturday's loss to the Wizards.
"Lonely days, lazy," Johnson said Monday. "You know, didn't really know what to do with myself too much. Trying to find a gym, things like that. I really missed the guys and it hurt being away. ... It's just mutual respect. I know how much I wanted to be here. I loved being here. I couldn't imagine going anywhere else."
Johnson said he was thrilled the Pacers were bringing in George Hill because it means he's not the oldest player on the roster anymore, but he was sad that friends Taylor and Bitadze were released and would not be returning.
"For me that's the worst thing about this job," Johnson said. "You build a relationship being in the trenches with guys, going through ups and downs with guys and really caring for them and caring for their success and when they have to leave or they have to leave no matter who it is, it puts a little dim on your team for a little bit. But then you realize it's business and guys are going to be OK and they're going to end up on your scouting report someday."
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Pacers re-sign James Johnson after waiving him to complete trade
