NBA Rumors: Joe Johnson Signs With Rockets (Not Celtics) After Buyout

Well, the Boston Celtics reportedly can forget about signing one potential buyout candidate.

Veteran guard Joe Johnson was one of the many casualties in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ roster blowup before Thursday’s NBA trade deadline, landing with the Sacramento Kings after a rough season with the Utah Jazz. And it didn’t take long for rumors of a potential buyout and ticket to Boston to ensue.

But while the Kings did, in fact, buy out Johnson on Saturday, the 36-year-old elected to sign with the Houston Rockets, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Sure, it would’ve been a cool story if Johnson, whom the Celtics drafted in 2001, returned to the place where is career started. But he’s averaging just 7.3 points per game this season, and the Celtics probably can find better fits.

One potential candidate is shooting guard Marco Belinelli, whom the Atlanta Hawks bought out Friday, and would look awfully nice in head coach Brad Stevens’ 3-point-heavy offense.