James Johnson has been traded to the Toronto Raptors for the Miami Heat's 2011 first-round pick. Johnson, the Chicago Bulls' No. 16 pick in 2009 out of Wake Forest, has played sparingly under coach Tom Thibodeau, crowded out in a frontcourt dominated by solid young fellows (Joakim Noah, Omer Asik and Taj Gibson) and veterans (Carlos Boozer and Kurt Thomas) alike.
James Johnson Traded To Raptors For Draft Pick
The Raptors received the Heat's 2011 pick in the sign-and-trade for Chris Bosh. Toronto also received its own protected 2011 pick in that deal; the Raptors have given the pick to Miami in the wildly unsuccessful Shawn Marion-Jermaine O'Neal deal.
The Bulls now have four first-round picks over the next two years. Chicago has their own picks in each year, Miami's 2011 pick and the Charlotte Bobcats' 2012 pick. The Bulls also picked up a bit of cap space in the deal, both this season (which could allow Chicago to sign a nominal free agent in the coming weeks or trade for a cheap player by the Thursday trade deadline) and next.
In Toronto, Johnson figures to compete for playing time with power forwards Amir Johnson and Ed Davis and small forwards Sonny Weems and Julian Wright.
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