Why the Detroit Pistons should avoid signing Joe Johnson

Joe Johnson is mulling a return to the NBA and is set to work out for the Detroit Pistons. Here’s why Detroit should avoid signing him.

Fresh off a Big3 championship and league MVP, Joe Johnson has his sights set on a new challenge: a return to the NBA.

The seven-time All-Star will reportedly work out for the Milwaukee Bucks, Brooklyn Nets, and the Detroit Pistons in the coming weeks as he tries to prove to the league that his Big3 performance can translate to the NBA. If signed, Johnson would likely serve as a deep rotation player who, when called upon, could provide a scoring punch off the bench.

One of Detroit’s glaring weaknesses over the past few seasons is the team’s lack of spacing on the perimeter and, more generally, scoring ability. The signing of Derrick Rose and an improved Luke Kennard should shore up the Pistons’ second unit scoring, but the rest of the bench leaves much to be desired.

Johnson, 38, showcased an all-around scoring ability in his debut in the Big3, leading the league with 21.9 PPG. He quickly emerged as the star of the league and cemented his legacy with a game-winning three in the championship game:

With such an impressive performance in his return to the court, the basketball world began to speculate whether Johnson could still serve as a meaningful contributor on an NBA roster. He has drawn interest from several teams, including Detroit, and barring some unimpressive workouts, will likely end up being signed.

The Pistons, who will host Johnson for a workout, would be wise to avoid signing him.

While Iso Joe impressed in the Big3 and enjoyed a successful NBA career where he averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game on 44.1 percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from three, he is now less than two years from his 40th birthday, and there is no reason to assume he could meet even the most modest expectations.

At age 36 — during his final season in the NBA — Johnson averaged 6.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game on 40.6 percent shooting from the field and an abysmal 27.6 percent from three. The second half of the season, which he spent with the Houston Rockets, was even worse for Johnson as his production cratered.

Now, at age 38, Johnson would return to the NBA two years removed from NBA experience and two years further from the glory days of Iso Joe.

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Assuming Johnson could match or even exceed his production from the 2016 season would be a mistake. Just as fans, coaches, and executives must avoid putting too much stock into G-League performance, so too should they avoid overreacting to an impressive showing in the Big3.

Remember: the Big3 is a 3-on-3, half court basketball league. The league is led by the likes of Greg Oden, Glen Davis, Mike Bibby, and Josh Smith. Virtually every single player is either too old or not talented enough to make an NBA roster.

In short, Johnson dominating this league means very little.

None of this is intended to belittle or diminish the Big3 — it’s a fun, entertaining league that showcases some of the NBA’s past stars and fan favorites.

It’s just not the NBA, or anything close to it in terms of talent.

Detroit would be smart to spend its money elsewhere. It is likely that the front office could find a younger, more versatile player who could average around 6.8 points per game on 40 percent shooting or better.

Signing Joe Johnson would be an interesting twist to Detroit’s off season.

But it’s time to think about this possibility practically, and the truth is, it wouldn’t be a good move.

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