Johnson was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Johnny Davis during the 1985–86 NBA season. He considered his year with the Cavaliers to be "a waste." Johnson played 20 games in the Continental Basketball Association for the Tampa Bay Thrillers in the 1986–87 season as he needed visibility to work his way back into the NBA. He signed a contract with the Seattle SuperSonics as they needed an experienced guard for the end of the 1986–87 NBA season. SuperSonics coach Bernie Bickerstaff had a closed-door meeting with his players before Johnson was signed while the team assigned someone to monitor Johnson's activities due to their wariness of his volatility.