Atlanta Hawks: J.J. Flirts With Miami Heat
Michael Wallace of the Miami Herald reports that J.J. says the Heat is a “great situation” and that he’s willing to switch from shooting guard to small forward to play alongside Dwyane Wade. The interest between J.J. and the Heat is mutual, according to Wallace.
It’s hard to get a read on Johnson regarding free agency. Depending on which day you asked him, he was liable to stick to his “keeping all my options open, we’ll see what happens” line, go with the “I’d love to stay in Atlanta” stance or occasionally let slip the flirtatious signals he sent to the Heat via Wallace. Is Johnson just being a good businessman or does he really want to leave the Hawks? He insisted that the way the season ended, with fans booing him off the court in what could be his final game, didn’t sour him on staying.
J.J. has said before that he doesn’t care about being The Man. Of course, like all players, he would like to be paid like The Man. And if the Heat strikes out on LeBron and decide J.J. is their guy, they’ll have to make the same determination as the Hawks: Can J.J. abandon the deliberate, ball-dominating offensive style he slid into with the Hawks? As bad it was at times with the Hawks, imagine how well Iso-Joe would play when D-Wade is option No. 1.
My feeling is the Hawks haven’t ruled out the possibility that J.J. can change his style if surrounded by the proper personnel and with some strong urging from the coach. He wasn’t Iso-Joe in Phoenix, after all. But neither was he The Man there, so it’s no certainty that he can modify his game.
MC
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315 comments Add your comment
SaintSimons
May 12th, 2010
4:46 pm
just get john wall and bosh. trade bibby marvin and crawford release joe
BOOHAWKS
May 12th, 2010
4:47 pm
seeyyaa SLO JOHNSON. that dude is overrated. he has no heart to win. he is not leader. what the hawks need to do is appoint al horford or mo williams as team captains and the voice in the locker room. FIRE MIKE I DONT LIKE PLAYING THE BENCH WOODSON and rotate the order. let slo joe go. for a guy his size he has no ups. u tell me how many times he dunked the ball this year. thats y he shoots jumpers allllllll the time cuz the layup is only finishing move. discipline josh smith cuz he plays like a kid with tantrums. wish he went to college for a year now. and lastly put bibby on the bench and put teague at starter and jamal crawford or move teague into six man roll and after zaza and mo williams, let the rest go and draft newer talent or get better free agents AND GET A FREAKIN COACH THAT DEMANDS ORDER AND PERFECTION.
Rufus1
May 12th, 2010
4:48 pm
Lebron Wants to Win a Championship
If his number 1 goal is to win a title..his best option is in Atlanta.
If Lebron and JJ go to the Knicks, they will still lose to the Magic.
MannyT
The Cavs may not have a choice…Yes I would trade Al and Teague for Lebron.(I would prefer Josh and Teague)
I KNOW IT SOUDS CRAZY, BUT IF HE COMES TO ATL…HE COULD WIN 4 TITLES
northcyde
May 12th, 2010
4:49 pm
And people better understand that we’re not going to be able to get a Chris Bosh, unless we execute a sign and trade that involves either Josh Smith or Jamal Crawford + a filler ( like a Marvin or Zaza ).
Understand the situation we’re in Hawks fans.
i_am_soulstar
May 12th, 2010
4:51 pm
I would love to see David Lee in a Hawks uniform. He could be had for cheap and is about as quality of a center as you’ll see in the league these days outside of Dwight Howard. But could we survive Josh Smith playing small forward????
Mike
May 12th, 2010
4:54 pm
I don’t understand how any of you are calling Josh Smith a cancer. when he fails to block a shot … we lose. Period. he is the best defender we have. You all dislike him because of the argumentative emotions he displays on the court. If anyone is a cancer, it’s Marvin Williams. I don’t know why his name isn’t mentioned and why he is getting a pass. Joe Johnson doesn’t get pass for not showing up in big games, but everyone knew that. Marvin Williams fails to show up period … and he gets abused on the defensive end of the floor. A cancer to me is a mass that produces bad results … all of Marvin’s results are bad.
I’d rather us try to package marvin, bibby, and our first round draft pick for Chris paul or tony parker. I’d then like to get a big man that can at least defend and hold his weight with a minimum of 8 – 10 points … Brendon Hayward comes to mind. Camby comes to mind too … In any event … we can slide Josh down to the 3 and get a coach that will practically force him to become Shawn Marion … a player who gets no offensive plays called for him but still scores 16 – 20 points through effort.
That my friends would be the fix we need. Josh is no cancer … he just isn’t being coached correctly. No coach in his right mind would have him standing near the 3 point line. He would always be slashing towards the basket. He’s too big and too athletic not to be screening and rolling the whole game and crashing the boards for offensive put backs / rebounds.
Marvin is the cancer. He must go. He’s just a nice guy so you all don’t think he’s the problem.
Byron
May 12th, 2010
4:55 pm
You know, in terms of the point-guard position and the fact that the teams with the highest chance of getting the #1 pick (John Wall), we may have a chance to really steal a quality point guard using a JJ sign-and-trade this offseason. New Jersey, Minnesota, Sacramento, and Golden state all have a shot at the number one pick, and each of them already has quality PG potential on their roster. That means that if any of them get the #1 pick, they will likely need to get rid of their current starting PG, and JJ is one hell of a bargaining chip, the Hawks could use him to get a great young PG.
C'mon Hawks
May 12th, 2010
5:01 pm
I know this is fantasy, but while i was playing NBA 2K10 last night I tried trading Marvin and Josh Smith for Devin Harris and somebody and they wouldnt do it. Yet I offered Bibby straight up for Brendan Haywood and they jumped on it. Then I added T.J. Ford and Will Bynum via free agency and traded Teague for Collison from the Hornets. I know it is a log jam at PG, but wouldnt that be a good thing for us? Also JJ would negotiate with me on the game, so lost him and just plugged Crawford in his spot.
ATL Fan
May 12th, 2010
5:02 pm
Sign him and trade him to the Clippers for Eric Gordon. Let JJ play in LA.
Gamer
May 12th, 2010
5:02 pm
Whoever get Joe Johnson will get a standup guy and a pretty good basketball player..
Obvious, Joe can’t carry a team by himself neither could Kobe Bryant and witnessing the same thing with Cavaliers King James..
How many times did we hear K. Bryant cry about leaving the Lakers if he didn’t get immediate help, too many times to keep count.
As much as I would try to keep Joe around, I wouldn’t do it at the expense of crippling team from building an elite team. It take money to do that and no team should put too much money into one player.
THE HAWKS SHOULD NEVER TRADE HORFORD OR J. SMOOVE. DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO GET CALIBER PLAYERS LIKE THESE TWO AT THERE AGE?? PLEASE SHOW SOME BUSINESS ACUMEN WHEN DEALING WITH THESE TWO.
Gamer
May 12th, 2010
5:03 pm
I do make typos…
i_am_soulstar
May 12th, 2010
5:04 pm
The worst thing I’ve seen teams do is trade quality starters for heralded #1-10 draft picks. You have no idea how good someone is gonna perform in the NBA or how long it would take them to develop. It’s a gamble some teams end up on the losing side of. I’d rather take a loss trading JJ for Devin Harris than a guy you practically have no idea about, be it John Wall, Evan Turner, or whoever. College success doesn’t always translate to NBA. For every Lebron James, there’s a Kwame Brown.
I’m just saying.
boiler up
May 12th, 2010
5:05 pm
Reading this is giving me a head ache. JJ is a baby period.. Sign and trade.. Please get rid of J.Smoove jump shot.. Yeah right.. Get people who will PLAY HARD for you. It’s basketball.. It’ not about show and tell if you want a Championship.. Kobe, MJ, Ervin Magic, Bird, will tell you.. Atl. needs to stop desiring show boat material and just wanting winners.. It’s not about being electrifying… winning…
JSS
May 12th, 2010
5:09 pm
@ SaintSimons
DING
Rod from College Park
May 12th, 2010
5:10 pm
Mike,
Cosign 100%
southsidegunner
May 12th, 2010
5:12 pm
Let him go. We need a point guard. Jordan Farmer?
Melvin
May 12th, 2010
5:18 pm
How in the heck did this kid pass for being 16? Heck he look older than Teague…
http://www.ajc.com/sports/2222-year-old-accused-525184.html?cxntlid=thbz_hm
Matt the Brave
May 12th, 2010
5:21 pm
Yes, Rick Sund will TRY to get LeBron, but he’s NYC bound if he doesn’t stay in Cleveland. He would go to LA, but Kobe and he play the same position. I guess he could end up on the Clippers (shudder). But he will not come to Atlanta, folks. Sorry to say it, but it’s true. We’re just not big enough, and he has no connection with anything here.
JJ - Here's your Paci
May 12th, 2010
5:21 pm
Joe you baby you – You’ve been stealing $$ for years..
Don’t let the door spank that wallet on the way outta the ATL!!
X Playground Great
May 12th, 2010
5:22 pm
Just like the Atlanta So-Called fans. Bloggers are ready to throw the WHOLE team under the bus. Guys remember last off season when Cleveland and Orlando made huge moves to improve their teams. Well, the Atlanta Hawks didnt. Obviously they thought the team was good enough to over take Cleveland and Orlando. Yes we increased our regular season wins, but still got eliminated in the semifinal just as last year. Atlanta Hawks front office is to blame, not Joe or Woody.
C. Moore
May 12th, 2010
5:23 pm
WHY IS EVERYONE SO HYPED ABOUT JOHN SALMONS? THE SAME GUY WHO HASNT DONT ANYTHING IN THIS LEAGUE UNTIL THIS YEAR…AFTER THE ALL-STAR BREAK WHO ALSO IS IN HIS CONTRACT YEAR? NOT TO MENTION HE IS….30 OR 31. HE IS NOT AN UPGRADE OVER JJ. I AM NOT A HUGE JJ FAN AS I FEEL HE IS A STRONG NUMBER TWO. BUILD THIS TEAM AROUND AL HORFORD. YOU WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH DEFENDING AND REBOUNDING!!
Andy
May 12th, 2010
5:23 pm
Anthony Morrow…over Joe Johnson….oh my god who are these idiots posting on here
Grandad
May 12th, 2010
5:25 pm
(1) Miami ain’t got crap for S&T.
(2) truthspitter: Thank you, I agree on [JS].
I don’t understand everyone’s infatuation?
(3) LbJ’s not coming here.
Folk’s try to understand reality.
Josh will improve w/o Bibby on premisis!…and minus Joe!
I think Al will/can keep him in line.
Joe leaves we cannot throw away talent!
Add Childress.
Subtract Marv via an astute trade,voila!
I’m also leaning toward ‘Tom Thibodeau’ [coach]
*(defensive game planning vs Cavs)*
Steve Smith/1st Lt./off. coordinator.
Plan o’ the day, right there. [from me that is]
Rufus1
May 12th, 2010
5:28 pm
MIKE
Josh QUIT on his team in the most important game of his NBA career…How will coaching change that kind of behavior. Mental toughness is developed when you are a child…not at 24.
Stop justifing Josh being a QUITTER, because Marvin isn’t a good player…Trade BOTH OF THEM(MARVIN AND JOSH)
Rufus1
May 12th, 2010
5:30 pm
Grandad
What makes you think Al can keep Josh in line?
Grandad
May 12th, 2010
5:36 pm
Andy:
He leaves, what you gonna do.
Anthony Morrow is better than Othyus Jeffers.
C. Moore
May 12th, 2010
5:39 pm
The problem with the Hawks is lack of agression! Kevin Garnett made Glen “Big Baby” Davis cry on the bench!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GXgFC8q32Q
That type of leadership is what the Hawks lack. Woodson didnt even say anything to Josh about his actions…however during the season he would bench him. What kind of message are you sending to your players? There are two players on that bench I know that could have progressed this year to help this team…prepare your laughs…Mario West and Randolph Morris. Mario West is an energy spark, he can defend, and he penetrates to the hole. Morris…7′0 big man who can run. He just needs to play and learn the game. This team needs leaders…simple as that…
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
5:41 pm
THE HAWKS DO NOT HAVE CAP MONEY TO SIGN FREE AGENTS OUTRIGHT, THEY CAN ONLY ACQUIRE THEM BY TRADE
BOSH IS NOT A CENTER AND WOULD GET EATEN ALIVE BY DWIGHT EVEN WORSE THAN HORFORD
JOSH CANNOT PLAY SMALL FORWARD ON EITHER END OF THE COURT
PLEASE COPY AND PASTE THIS ON EVERY BLOG BY MICHAEL CUNNINGHAM THIS OFFSEASON SO PEOPLE DON’T KEEP REPEATING THE SAME MISINFORMED BULLSH-T
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
5:44 pm
“I know this is fantasy, but while i was playing NBA 2K10 last night I tried trading Marvin and Josh Smith for Devin Harris and somebody and they wouldnt do it. Yet I offered Bibby straight up for Brendan Haywood and they jumped on it. Then I added T.J. Ford and Will Bynum via free agency and traded Teague for Collison from the Hornets. I know it is a log jam at PG, but wouldnt that be a good thing for us? Also JJ would negotiate with me on the game, so lost him and just plugged Crawford in his spot.”
Add a “GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” on the end and that’s a typical Darrell Starks post.
ant banks
May 12th, 2010
5:45 pm
i hate this time of year, because this is when everyone keeps comin’ up wit’ these crazy arse proposals!! how are we goin’ to re-sign jj and bring in bosh, without goin’ over the cap?
why would lebron come to atlanta, a 10 market with no superstars, WHEN HE CAN GO TO THE NUMBER 1 MARKET, WITH 2 SUPERSTARS?
y’all stop wit’ this crazy ish
Grandad
May 12th, 2010
5:45 pm
Rufus1:
Moreso Bibby & Joe leaving. Combine that with Al’s
newfound resonsibility of leadership. Which he is well
suited, therefore he will be up to the task.
Not to mention, the new coach will mentor Josh with a new
message & a new way of delivering said message.
JJ - Here's your Paci
May 12th, 2010
5:46 pm
Najeh… Go back & crap in your closet…
Butt this time. Please close the door!!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
5:47 pm
“For those of you who haven’t listened to the Hubie Brown interview on ESPN AM 680 in Atlanta, you realy need to check that out on their website. He talks in depth about the Hawks and what went wrong with this team.”
Link?
Rod from College Park
May 12th, 2010
5:47 pm
Najeh Davenpoop,
“JOSH CANNOT PLAY SMALL FORWARD ON EITHER END OF THE COURT”
He could not be any worse than Marvin. No way possible.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
5:49 pm
I’d advise y’all not to believe a word that comes out of the mouths of Joe Johnson, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, or LeBron James until July 1. Everything they say until then is posturing to create maximum value for themselves.
I honestly wouldn’t lose too much sleep if he landed in Miami, although it would suck to lose him outright with no compensation. I don’t see Joe’s game and Wade’s game meshing together all that well — if anything, Joe will be reduced to the best 3-point shooter Wade has ever played with — and Miami will still be left with no big men and no point guard. That sounds like a second-round exit team to me.
feudfinder
May 12th, 2010
5:51 pm
Joe Johnson brought this cancer on himself by making such an idiotic statement. Before his debacle, almost all the fans wanted him signed. All in all, I still think it is a good idea if Joe is signed and either Larry Drew (preferred) or a new coach is brought here. I like Mike Woodson, but he does not command respect from his players (Josh) anymore, and it does not look like it is going to get any better. So the best thing is to part ways. I wish him a good luck.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
5:53 pm
“Najeh… Go back & crap in your closet…
Butt this time. Please close the door!!”
I don’t crap in my own closet. I prefer the closets of sleeping college co-eds.
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
5:55 pm
“He could not be any worse than Marvin. No way possible.”
Then the Hawks should get a replacement SF for Marvin, not play Josh out of position where his skills would not be maximized. Playing Josh at SF would be like playing Michael Vick at running back.
Grandad
May 12th, 2010
5:56 pm
I tried to set this up as a link but being somewhat old
& technology impaired, I was unable to do so.
However, if you wish to look it up…good read.
LeBron’s moment of truth awaits
By Adrian Wojnarowski, Yahoo! Sports
Another reason I don’t care much for LbJ.
or
LeBronze
or
the LeBacle [espn]
*Thank you Najeh* Co-sign
Marvin is a Melvin
May 12th, 2010
6:00 pm
“I don’t crap in my own closet. I prefer the closets of sleeping college co-eds.”
That doesn’t make any sense
O'Brien
May 12th, 2010
6:00 pm
I dont buy JJ and Miami. If he goes anywhere, I think it will be Chicago.
Who wouldnt want to play with a very good young PG? Plus he has the same agent as Rose, and he is friends with BJ Armstrong, who is like a mentor to Rose. Plus Chicago would be a very good team with JJ, Rose, Deng and Noah as their foundation.
I hope he stays with the Hawks though, because he is a top 5 SG on offense, and a top 5 SG on defense. The Hawks do not have anybody else like that, and we wont be able to get anybody else like that. Plus, JJ can defend 3 positions for spot minutes…
Mike,
Did you really suggest Marvin, Bibby and a pick for Tony Parker or Chris Paul? Why would Spurs or Hornets go for that? Marvin and Bibby are not very good, and our first round pick is towards the end of the first round. Makes no sense to me.
northcyde,
How do you feel about a Josh and ZaZa S&T for Bosh?
SWAT Native
May 12th, 2010
6:00 pm
Northcyde
That was a great interview with Hubie Brown. Here’s a link for those that are looking for it:
http://www.680thefan.com/audiovault/rude_awakening.php#
They asked him if he was interested in coming back and coaching the Hawks, and he said that it was his 76th birthday.
Al Notsosharpton
May 12th, 2010
6:03 pm
Too bad Joe didn’t flirt with the backboard or bottom of the net more. Always a fan favorite, especially when he opens his big mouth!
Najeh Davenpoop
May 12th, 2010
6:07 pm
“That doesn’t make any sense”
Well, as the real-life Najeh Davenpoop once said, “Where’s the evidence? Where’s the manure?”
that year 2000
May 12th, 2010
6:11 pm
this shows you why Joe did not put in any effort in the playoffs because he does not have heart, he does not mind not being great he will settle for good he does not mind being wade’s sidekick because the pressure will be off him but what is so crazy is that why did he turn down that 16 million last yr like charles barkley said because nobody else is going to pay him more than that cause he didn’t not show up for the playoffs this year or last year and a max contract player puts up more than 22 pts per game during the regular season
joe should have taken what sund offered him last yr cause if u want to be wade’s sidekick do u really think somebody is going to give u a max contract uh–no his dumb ass
Johnson
May 12th, 2010
6:14 pm
Can’t wait to see how much Big Mouth Johnson lost with his play & mouth in playoffs. Charles Barkley nailed it. “No way Joe Johnson is worth being paid what a superstar in the NBA gets. Anything above 7M a year is foolish. He’s a number 2 polayer on a team at best.”
Stevie
May 12th, 2010
6:15 pm
Hawks could be getting Tony Parker.
http://whiskeymadness25.angelfire.com/index.html
bigdave
May 12th, 2010
6:18 pm
“its what you’re running for Joe Johnson and Crawford that they are not getting their high percentage shots in their areas”
-Coach Hubie Brown
“playing 1 on 2 then 3 on 4″
how many times have i said that goodness.
Hubie Brown was dead on..
James
May 12th, 2010
6:20 pm
Two days after getting swept in the playoffs this guy is flirting with another team? This year in the post season he didnt show up and last year he quit during the Cleveland series.He turns down the extention offer from the Hawks then flirts with the Knicks.Joe Johnson does not want to be here and should have been traded when he turned down the extention…
bigdave
May 12th, 2010
6:24 pm
though it might be too late.. i sure hope they dont drop an atom bomb on this team. they have their issues however, under proper instruction we are awfully talented. even in spurts we saw the ball/player movement we got results IN THE PAINT even..
give me needed additions and a head coach in my perfect world it would be another Mike last name Krzyzewski.. but that is a pipe dream.