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Veteran experience. Check.
Wing depth. Check.
A scorer with oodles of playoff experience. Check.
As random a free agent get as the Utah Jazz have had in recent memory? Check.
If you had Joe Johnson as Utah's first coup on the open market, raise your hand. Otherwise, like the rest of us, just express your surprise.
The Jazz agreed to terms with Johnson on Friday night, The Salt Lake Tribune confirmed. TNT's David Aldridge first reported the agreement, which is for two years and $22 million.
In Johnson, the Jazz get a guy who will come off the bench and provide scoring. He's a good shooter who can get to the basket. He can post up, and he's a playoff veteran. Johnson started last season with the Brooklyn Nets before agreeing to a buyout in February, then joined the Miami Heat, who he helped reach the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Johnson began his career as a shooting guard, but has transitioned with age to small forward and even power forward in smaller lineups.
Johnson's strength is his ability to shoot the ball, get to the line and score in a variety of ways. He will likely come off the bench for the Jazz, giving the second unit a scoring jolt it didn't have this season.
The Jazz were able to come to terms with Johnson after losing out on Solomon Hill and Jared Dudley, who verbally agreed to terms with the New Orleans Pelicans and Phoenix Suns, respectively, earlier on Friday.
Johnson averaged 12.2 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game this past season. He is viewed as one of the more coveted veteran scorers in the NBA.
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