Suns exercise Cameron Johnson’s 2022-23 option

The Suns picked up their fourth-year team option on Cameron Johnson's rookie scale contract, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report (Twitter link).

The move locks in Johnson’s $5,887,899 salary for the 2022-23 season. The 25-year-old forward will now be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2022 offseason. If he doesn’t sign a new deal at that point, he’d be eligible for restricted free agency in 2023.

Johnson, the 11th overall pick in the 2019 draft, was a regular member of the rotation for the Suns team that made the NBA Finals in 2020-21. He averaged 9.6 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 60 regular-season games (24.0 MPG), then put up 8.2 PPG and 3.1 RPG with a .446 3PT% in 21 playoff contests (21.1 MPG).

The Suns also have an option decision to make on second-year center Jalen Smith. Phoenix hasn’t yet picked up Smith’s option, according to Fischer, though that doesn’t mean the team will fail to do so before Monday’s deadline.