Chaney Johnson is not supposed to be this good. Or at least, that’s what the draft boards said. The 6-foot-7 forward went unselected out of Auburn, signed a two-way deal with Brooklyn midway through last season, and quietly put together a rookie year that suggested he might stick. But what he’s done in Las Vegas over the past two weeks has turned that quiet suggestion into a loud argument.
Johnson has been the most consistent player on a Nets Summer League roster loaded with five first-round picks. Across four games, he’s averaging 15 points on 64.7 percent shooting, 9 rebounds and 2.8 steals. He’s shooting 4-of-6 from three. He’s dunking everything. He’s guarding centers because the coaching staff has no choice. And according to those around him, he’s doing it without an ounce of ego.
“That dude is a dog,” teammate Egor Demin said. “He’s the favorite teammate of anybody because he does all the hard work without feeling like we owe him something. Sometimes I feel bad because we don’t reward him enough for his work out there. He takes it very humbly.”
Nets Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley put it more bluntly. “I knew Chaney was a beast. It’s further confirmed,” Gaitley said. “When we got him and watched film, I thought, this guy’s an NBA player. And the best part is we’re playing him out of position. He’s a 6’7″ center and he’s dominating defensively. We can’t even put him on the best perimeter defenders because we need him to guard bigs. Just imagine when he gets to show what he can do on the wing.”
Johnson’s rookie numbers were solid for a two-way guy: 8.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 20.5 minutes per game across 17 appearances. He shot 54.3 percent from the field. The three-point percentage was just 30 percent, but he attempted only 3.4 threes per 36 minutes across G League and NBA action. The volume will need to go up if he wants to stick in a rotation, but the form looks repeatable.
Brooklyn’s center situation is fluid right now. Nic Claxton is gone. Day’Ron Sharpe is recovering from a thumb injury. Moe Wagner is expected to split minutes with Sharpe. That leaves an opening for a third big who can defend multiple positions and crash the glass. Johnson fits that description, even if his listed height suggests he should be playing small forward.
“It’s whatever gets me paid,” Johnson said when asked about his preferred position. “I will do whatever it takes. Whatever the team needs, I’m there. My main goal is to be the hardest-playing player out there, so whatever the team needs, that’s my job.”
He’ll return on another two-way deal next season, but Summer League performances have a way of accelerating timelines. If Johnson keeps playing like this, Brooklyn’s front office might have to find room for him in the actual rotation sooner than planned.
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