The Cleveland Cavaliers are reportedly ready to snag All-Star wingman Joe Johnson if ever he and the Brooklyn Nets agree to a buyout and he becomes available as a free agent this season.

SB Nation noted that the Cavs are "looking to improve their roster for the stretch run" and a "major trade of the team's core" would be highly unlikely at this moment, which means free agent pickups would be the reigning Eastern Conference champs only hope to try and prepare themselves against the Golden State Warriors or San Antonio Spurs in this year's Finals.

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This is why Cleveland is allegedly on high alert about the status of 34-year-old Johnson within the Brooklyn franchise as the two-way wing player's "skill set could still be incredibly valuable for the team", as mentioned by the report.

Johnson could also be a reliable and experienced backup to LeBron James at the small forward spot or even play at power forward during small ball conditions. To illustrate his value, imagine James and Tristan Thompson playing 4 and 5 with Johnson, Shumpert, and Irving in the wings and backcourt. This lineup would be more competitive against Golden State's "death lineup" than any of their current lineup combinations.

Chat Sports indicated that Johnson is now "as miserable than he's ever been" with the Nets, which is the basis of the emerging rumors of a buyout deal anytime soon.

The seven-time All-Star is in the final year of the six-year, $124 million deal he signed with the Atlanta Hawks before the 2010-2011 season, which will make him an unrestricted free agent in the summer. He is set to receive $24.9 million this season before teams could offer him a new deal, which would most likely be significantly lower than his previous contract.

Performance-wise, Johnson is still a decent scoring threat, averaging 11.5 points in 40 percent field goal shooting and has a 37.1 percent clip from downtown. He's been playing almost 34 minutes per game in 54 games so far for Brooklyn, which indicates that he is still in shape despite his ripe age.

TagsNBA Trade Rumors, cleveland cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson, Lebron James