Portland Trail Blazers: Five perfect point guards to sign in Free Agency

Portland Trail Blazers backup point guard #2 – Tyler Johnson

Tyler Johnson, formerly of the Miami Heat, could be an excellent fit for the Blazers’ second unit.

Johnson is just 28 and has bounced around the NBA over the last two years after spending the first four years of his career with the Heat, who signed him to a four-year $50 million deal in 2016.

Johnson is a six-foot-three combo guard who can play on the ball as a shot creator or spot up from three.

After the Heat traded him to the Phoenix Suns, he had a down year as he struggled with their guard rotation. After being waived by the Suns, the Brooklyn Nets signed him for the NBA bubble, and he impressed with 12.5 points per game on a healthy 39 percent from three.

Johnson has traditionally been a good finisher at the rim, and like Lin, he is also a good help defender. He can defend ones and twos and is a decent rebounder for his position. Johnson has been part of multiple playoff runs, and his ability to play off the ball is important. Guys like Hezonja and Simons need the ball in their hands to succeed, where Johnson can do either.

The other advantage in signing guys like Johnson or Lin is their motivation to get another deal to stay in the league. A player like Johnson would give it all for one year to try to get another deal in the NBA on a single year minimum. Sometimes multi-year contracts don’t work out when the player has secured his money and loses motivation.

Johnson, on a one-year veteran’s deal, would work for the Blazers.