I’m always intrigued by why guys like Johnson, who obviously possesses the talent and skill set to be a regular in the NBA, don’t ever establish themselves. He’s big. He can shoot it. Well, there you go. That’s about the list of DerMarr Johnson’s plusses as a basketball player. I guess that’s why he’s a marginal player. Even though he has size and some skill, he’s not especially athletic by NBA standards. He’s too slow to guard quick players and to weak to play on either end against strong players. I’d be very interested to hear the assessment of former coaches about his knowledge of and approach to the game. I wouldn’t at all be surprised to find out he doesn’t spend a lot of time watching film or otherwise preparing for opponents. He doesn’t seem to have gotten much bigger over his years in the league, so perhaps he doesn’t put in the time in the weight room that the guys who excel do (for example, while Antawn Jamison is relatively slightly built, you can plainly see he’s putting in the time).

I’ve only seen a little of Linton Johnson, but I recall thinking he had some promise (think he was with Phoenix) — but then again, my recollection was of him as a post player, not a wing, so what do I know?

I’m not crazy about using our last roster spot for a non-factor, so I’d probably lean toward Linton, if the coaches thought he had some promise. I have a hard time seeing how DerMarr’s going to contribute to a team with legitimate aspirations toward advancing in the playoffs.