itted ▁to ▁a ▁h alo ▁bra ce ▁during ▁his ▁recovery , ▁Johnson ▁was ▁subsequently ▁s idel ined ▁for ▁the ▁entire ▁ 2 0 0 2 - 0 3 ▁NBA ▁season , ▁and ▁questions ▁sur fac ed ▁regarding ▁him ▁ever ▁playing ▁again . ▁Johnson ' s ▁mi rac ul ous ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁league ▁began ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 3 ▁when ▁he ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁Phoenix ▁S uns ▁only ▁to ▁be ▁wa ived ▁two ▁weeks ▁later ▁without ▁ever ▁having ▁played ▁a ▁game ▁for ▁them . ▁He ▁then ▁moved ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁American ▁Basketball ▁Association ' s ▁Long ▁Beach ▁Jam ▁where ▁he ▁played ▁ 1 9 ▁games , ▁before ▁rejo ining ▁the ▁NBA , ▁signing ▁a ▁contract ▁with ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Kn icks . ▁The ▁following ▁season , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 - 0 5 , ▁Johnson ▁re ju ven ated ▁his ▁career ▁with ▁the ▁Den ver ▁N ug gets , ▁particip ating ▁in ▁ 7 1 ▁games , ▁and ▁aver aging ▁ 7 . 1 ▁points ▁on ▁ 4 9 . 9 ▁percent ▁field ▁goal ▁shooting . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 - 0 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 6 - 0 7 ▁seasons , ▁Johnson ▁aver aged ▁ 5 ▁points ▁on ▁ 4 0 ▁percent ▁shooting ▁in ▁ 9 7 ▁games . ▁ ▁Johnson ▁reported ly ▁signed ▁with ▁Italian ▁team ▁Pal la can estro ▁Tre vis o ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁but ▁quickly ▁jump ed ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁NBA ▁Development ▁League