Chaney Johnson has spent the past year making the same point over and over: he belongs.
The 24-year-old forward has handled every assignment Brooklyn has thrown at him, from Long Island to the NBA rotation to a strong Summer League run. The problem for the Nets isn’t whether Johnson has earned more - it’s that their roster is already packed.
Johnson went undrafted in 2025 before landing with Brooklyn, and he wasted no time showing what he could do with the Long Island Nets. In 24 games there last season, he averaged 14.7 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists, while also adding 1.5 steals and 1.0 block per game.
When Brooklyn called, he didn’t blink.
In 17 games with the Nets, Johnson put up 8.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 20.5 minutes per game, shooting 54.3% from the field. His biggest nights came down the stretch, including a career-high 17 points with nine rebounds against Portland in March and a 16-point, 13-rebound showing against Toronto in April.
Then he carried that momentum into Summer League and kept right on rolling.
Johnson logged minutes all over the floor, including time at center despite being 6-foot-7. He defended multiple spots, rebounded, pushed in transition and stayed active around the ball. In Las Vegas, he averaged 13 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game, leading the entire tournament in steals.
That kind of versatility is exactly what has made him so hard to ignore. He doesn’t seem concerned with labels or roles. He just shows up and plays.
As Summer League coach Dutch Gaitley put it, if the Nets needed Johnson to play point guard, he'd play point guard. Johnson’s own view is just as direct: “Whatever the team needs, I’m there.”
That mindset has helped him win over Brooklyn, and he’s clearly embraced the organization and its fans as well. The “Chainator” nickname, the Barclays Center chants and the connection he’s built with Nets supporters have all meant something to him.
He’s also spoken about the team’s chip on its shoulder heading into 2026-27 after a difficult season, and he doesn’t come across like someone content to simply occupy a roster spot.
Still, the math is the math. Brooklyn’s 15-man roster is full with Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, Egor Dëmin, Noah Clowney, Day'Ron Sharpe, Mikel Brown Jr., Nolan Traore, Keon Ellis, Moritz Wagner, Josh Minott, Danny Wolf, Drake Powell, Terance Mann, Ben Saraf and Joshua Jefferson. There isn’t an obvious move to make room for Johnson on a standard deal.
So for now, he remains on a two-way contract, waiting for the next opening. Maybe an injury creates one.
Maybe a roster move changes things later. Maybe he simply keeps forcing the issue with his play.
Either way, Johnson has already made the case.
He has gone from undrafted long shot to a player Nets fans are excited to watch, and he has backed that up in the G League, in the NBA and in Summer League. Brooklyn may not have a standard contract available right now, but Chaney Johnson has done everything to earn one.
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Long Island Nets Are Building A Brooklyn Pipeline Fans Should Watch
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Long Island also finished a three-team deal that added a 2027 first-round pick and the returning player rights to guard Joey Calcaterra, while continuing to sign multiple players as the roster takes shape for the upcoming season. For Brooklyn, the activity matters because the G League club has become a real extension of the franchise's talent pool, and these kinds of deals can shape who gets a longer look when the NBA side needs depth or development help. [Read more 🡒]