Steve Nash hints that Nets plan to keep Alize Johnson

It sounds like the Nets will try to re-sign Alize Johnson when his second 10-day contract expires this weekend, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Speaking to reporters before Wednesday night’s game, head coach Steve Nash said the organization has been very happy with the performance of the 24-year-old power forward.

“I think we feel pretty comfortable with what we have with Alize,” Nash said. “He’s been outstanding, works hard, plays with incredible energy. … We think he’s a player that can help us.”

Players are limited to two 10-day contracts with a single team during a season, so Brooklyn would have to sign Johnson for the rest of the campaign to keep him on the roster. The Nets still have their prorated mid-level exception available and can use it to sign Johnson for up to three years, per Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Johnson has appeared in four games since coming to Brooklyn on March 22, averaging 9.3 points and 6.8 rebounds in 13.8 minutes per night. He has scored in double figures in both games where he has received significant playing time, including a 23-point, 15-rebound outburst against the Jazz last month.

A second-round draft pick in 2018, Johnson spent his first two seasons with the Pacers, appearing in 31 total games. He was in training camp with the Raptors before the start of this season, but was waived in December.

Johnson signed his second 10-day deal with the Nets on April 1, so it will expire Saturday.