2000-01 In Review: After being traded midway through the 1999-2000 campaign, Anthony Johnson returned to Atlanta as a free agent over the summer of 2000. He lost a battle in training camp to Matt Maloney to serve as backup to Jason Terry, and was relegated to the deep bench at the beginning of the season. After Terry was shifted to shooting guard, Johnson got more minutes until the Hawks decided to deal for a starting point. In the move for Brevin Knight, Johnson was sent to Cleveland, where he was the third point guard behind Andre Miller and Bimbo Coles (who had been ahead of Johnson on the depth chart the previous season in Atlanta). He finished the season averaging 2.5 points and 1.5 assists in about 10 minutes per game.

Previous NBA Career: After a stellar career at the College of Charleston, Johnson was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in 1997. The team was desperate for a point guard, with only failed first round draft pick Bobby Hurley primarily playing the position and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf capable of playing there. Johnson played heavily, starting 62 games and averaging 30 minutes per game. He struggled mightily, scoring less than a point per shot and averaging a paltry 4.3 assists per game. After the season, the Kings brought in Jason Williams to play the point, and Johnson headed to Atlanta, where he hoped to backup Mookie Blaylock. Johnson was an adequate backup, averaging 5 points and 2.2 assists in 20 minutes a night. Nevertheless, the Hawks brought in Coles and Terry after the season, and Johnson's minutes dropped. He was the only player dealt in at the 2000 trade deadline, going to Orlando for a conditional second round draft pick. He continued to play sparingly with the Magic.

Shooting/Scoring: Johnson's first problem is that he is not an effective scorer at the NBA level. In only one of his four NBA seasons -- 99 -- has he shot over 40% from the field. He is only a career 31% shooter from three-point range, and has shot a below average 71% from the line. Johnson is not quick enough to get into the lane on the drive on a regular basis, and is only an adequate finisher when he does get there. His range extends out to the three point line, but he's not a good percentage shooter even around 15-18 feet. Grade: D

Floor Game: Johnson is not particularly creative for an NBA point, even a backup. Instead, his job consists primarily of getting the ball up and getting it into the hands of his scorers. For the amount he handles the ball, he turns it over far too much. For his career, Johnson has averaged above 2.5 assists per turnover only once -- his rookie season. Johnson is a solid passer and gets the ball to the right guys -- he just gets it to them such that they have to make a move; not when they're already in a position to score. Grade: C-

Rebounding: For his size and position, Johnson has done a solid job on the boards since his rookie NBA campaign. He has historically been about even on the offensive and defensive boards. Grade: C+

Defense: Johnson's forte is defense. Though he's not exceptionally tall at 6-3 or particularly quick, he still does a good job. He pressures ballhandlers very well, and would shine in a press. Johnson's defensive focus is also very good, as he very rarely makes mental mistakes or beats himself. He does an adequate job of drawing steals. Grade: B

Intangibles: By all accounts, Johnson is a solid citizen and hard worker, though it hasn't shown up in improvements in his numbers. Grade: B

Overall: At this point, Johnson probably won't be improving much in any aspect of his game. Though his experience can be a plus, it also means his salary is progressively getting higher and higher, and he provides little that a rookie couldn't -- without the potential and upside. However, his defensive value is enough to make him a solid third point guard for many teams. Count the Seattle Supersonics amongst those teams, as they search for a player to replace defensive specialist Emanual Davis, who left via free agency. Johnson enters camp battling with rookie Earl Watson for the third point guard position in Seattle. Because of his age, it's not likely he earns a spot, but a good camp and pre-season could keep Johnson in the NBA. Grade: C-