Johnson to Toronto; nothing else imminent

It looks like that D-League stint will give James Johnson a chance to play.

Just not with the Bulls.

Johnson, the 2009 Bulls’ first round pick at No. 16, was traded Tuesday to the Toronto Raptors for the Miami Heat’s 2011 first round pick the Raptors held from the sign-and-trade deal for Chris Bosh.

The trade gives the Bulls two 2011 first round picks, theirs and Miami’s, and they still hold the potential 2012 or later first round pick from the Charlotte Bobcats for Tyrus Thomas.

Thus, the Bulls are in better position to potentially make a trade before Thursday’s NBA trading deadline for a shooting guard, though nothing is close and the odds seem to remain against a deal from indications at this point.

The big advantage for the Bulls of trading Johnson may be the $1.7 million in salary they save. The Bulls now have almost $3 million under the salary cap they can offer to a player who seeks a buyout from his team, perhaps like Detroit’s Tayshaun Prince.

There is no guarantee Prince, on the final year of his contract, will be offered a buyout or even that he will seek one. But should he, the Bulls would be in ideal position to make up to him the money he gives up to get out of his contract. And it might benefit the Pistons during a sale situation to be able to save millions of dollars on the contract, though Prince is just an example. Among the players most rumored for buyouts are, New Jersey’s Troy Murphy, Indiana’s T.J. Ford, the Clippers’ Rasual Butler and Cleveland’s Anthony Parker.

Players need to seek a buyout by the beginning of March to be eligible for the playoffs with a new team.