Breaking: Brooklyn Nets closing in on deal to sign Summer League star to multi-year contract.

According to Shams Charania of the Athletic, the Brooklyn Nets will sign Summer League standout Keon Johnson to a multi-year contract. Over four games in Las Vegas, the 2021 first-round pick averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 1.5 steals while shooting 45/25/81.

Last season, Johnson played for Brooklyn on a two-way contract. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard showed off his skills in the G League, averaging 17.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.2 steals on 47.3 percent shooting. He significantly improved his 3-point shooting, which was a major critique of his game early in his career, converting at a 36.6 percent rate on 4.5 tries a game in Long Island.

Johnson’s athleticism has been his key strength since college. He has the NBA combine record for maximum vertical leap at 48.0 inches. However, he has demonstrated a developing skill set since joining the Nets last season.

In addition to his excellent three-point shooting in 2023-24, Johnson has demonstrated better playmaking abilities both on and off the court during Summer League. On Thursday, he had 10 assists in Brooklyn’s overtime victory over the Orlando Magic. He’s also working on improving his physical tools as a defender, which has been a main focus of his offseason workouts with the Nets’ coaching staff.

“I think Keon could be a nightmare defensively,” said Nets Summer League head coach Steve Hetzel, who coached Johnson for two years with the Portland Trail Blazers. “We challenged him to be the absolute best defender out here in Summer League, and he’s taking the challenge. He is an incredible athlete, but he can really sit down and guard.”

“I’m very pleased [with Keon’s development]. I love Keon; I’ve known him for a while now. It’s been awesome to watch his growth as a person and a player. I just love the fact that he’s getting to showcase all the things that he’s worked on and all the time that he spent in the gym to get to this position.”

Johnson will now have an opportunity to earn a rotation role for the rebuilding Nets. After trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks and resetting the team’s timeline, general manager Sean Marks has embraced a youth movement. Johnson could earn minutes alongside fellow 22-year-old Cam Thomas in Brooklyn’s backcourt.

“I feel like everything that I’m doing out there will completely translate to what I would be doing on the main court, as far as playing defense, spacing the court and making open shots,” Johnson told ClutchPoints at the Summer League. “Whenever I have the ball in my hands, I make basic readings. I feel like I’ve been demonstrating it every day of Summer League, and maybe, after Summer League, I’ll be able to continue doing so.”

The Nets now have four first-round picks in the 2021 draft on their roster: Johnson, Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe, and Ziaire Williams, who were acquired in a Friday trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.