Atlanta Hawks: And now for something really important: J.J.
It might feel like Christmas in July for the Hawks if J.J. returns. (LOUIE FAVORITE / lfavorite@ajc.com)
There’s been much hand-wringing among my blog people about the Hawks’ draft, and I get that. Even when your team is picking No. 24, and even when that team is the Hawks, the hope is that somehow they beat the odds and find a rookie who can be a major contributor for a team that won 53 games last season.
But regardless of how you feel about the draft, it was far less important than what happens over the next couple weeks. Free agency opens at midnight Thursday, when teams can negotiate with players on the market. Deals can be struck during that time but signings can’t happen until a week later. And of course the biggest deal for the Hawks is what happens with J.J.
The Hawks want J.J. back. The things outsiders debate about regarding J.J.–his age, his minutes, his isos, his leadership, his postseason fade, etc.–don’t seem to be such issues at Centennial Tower. The Hawks value J.J. not because they won’t have the ability to sign a comparable free agent if he bounces, but because he’s a heck of a player whom they’ve built their team around.
As all of the rumors have swirled about J.J. wanting to leave for more shine, because of a beef with the fans, to be part of the super summit and whatnot, I’ve maintained that if the Hawks offer him the most money he will come back. The Hawks still believe they can re-sign J.J. because they can offer him the most money, and they don’t expect cash to be the issue.
Yeah, I understand you are skeptical about that part, but that’s their perspective. The difference in the maximum the Hawks can offer Joe and what other teams can give him is substantial. The exact numbers won’t be known until the league sets the salary-cap numbers for next season, which it will do during the July 1-8 moratorium. But it’s going to be something like $119 million max over six years from the Hawks for J.J., $92 million max over five years from someone else.
That’s $27 million, and as D-Wade told reporters: “Thirty million means a lot to anybody. To Bill Gates, $30 million means a lot.”
The Hawks are less concerned about the money and more worried about the knocks J.J. takes from fans and (cough, cough) media types. They fear he might decide to play for less money somewhere else because of those issues or something else they can’t control. Maybe those concerns are valid, but I’m still waiting for someone to show me players who leave that kind of cash on the table, particularly when it’s the last big contract they will get. The best way to show a player love and appreciation is, and always has been, to show him more money.
So, to summarize . . . The Hawks badly want J.J. to return. If it comes down to money, the Hawks like their chances to re-sign him. If it comes down to something else, they will get a little nervous. I’m guessing it will come down to money and if the Hawks step up in that regard, even if it means paying him the max, then J.J. will be back.
– The Hawks have opened a dialogue with Chills, a sign that perhaps he might soften his stance on returning to Atlanta. If it’s true that his Greek team doesn’t want him, that would seem to increase the attractiveness of a return to the league. Nobody wants to be where they aren’t wanted, after all, especially when that place isn’t even the best place to ply your trade.
Also, Chill’s market value may not be what he thinks. I’ve heard that a couple teams were interested in a sign-and-trade for him last summer, but the money they were talking about offering him was less than what Atlanta was dangling before he bolted for Greece. So Chills may not get what he wants when he goes looking for an offer sheet, especially when you consider teams are even more frugal now than they were then. Combine the market realities with the lack of Olympiakos love and that one-year, $4.8 million contract from the Hawks might start to look more appealing.
– Clearing up the confusion on Pape Sy. . . . I screwed up when I blogged that L.D. thinks he can play center. My bad. The Hawks measured Sy at 6-7 in shoes. L.D. thinks he could possibly play small forward but the Hawks essentially see him as a combo guard. Now we will see if they keep him around to try and develop him, which hasn’t been their M.O. in recent years.
– The Hawks are optimistic they can put together a good summer league roster. It’s important because they want Rook’ to have a good squad to work with in Las Vegas. My bosses just gave me the OK to head out there, too, so my blog people will get some firsthand accounts of Rook’, Jordan Crawford, Sy, and L.D.’s revolutionary new offense. There’s also a slight chance I end up in a casino.
– Thanks for all the comments over the last few days. Good to see my blog people still care, even if some of you don’t care for me. It’s all love. And it’s just basketball.
– Go USA. Beat Ghana.
MC
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385 comments Add your comment
dap01
June 26th, 2010
9:42 pm
LeBron is not going to accommodate for any one.
KevinM
June 26th, 2010
9:52 pm
Hoops, good luck on getting much for JJ. He will have to agree to sign with us, then the other team has to agree to pay him what we would have paid him playing for us, and return ’something’ to us.
You gotta figure which team will LBJ feel most comfortable….my thought was either Chicago, with Rose and another FA, NY with hopefully somebody, and then………how bout those Clippers if Larry Brown decides to head there? You think he wants to know where LBJ is before he publically says I want to go back to LA?
LBJ gets Baron Davis to run with, Kaman, and a healthy Blake Griffin. Eric Gordon becomes instant offense off the bench, and that lineup all of a sudden looks like a better mix than what LBJ had in Cleveland overnight. LBJ vs. Kobe in Staples? Talk about some strategic ticket maneuvering for 82 nights out of the year…..the Clippers finally pay someone and are still under the cap?
Don’t let that surprise you, and he leaves all the other FAs to fend for the leftovers, probably with DWade in Miami.
I got a name for you if we can wrestle him away since I am talking Clippers…how about DeAndre Jordan? I saw good things late in the year and he is just about ready to fight for more playing time. Very easy on the ASG wallet.
ryan
June 26th, 2010
11:16 pm
It does not look good for us folks Chi Town is going to be the big winners they had great NFL off season getting Peppers and now there going to get the big prize in LeBron James and CB4.
Phillip
June 27th, 2010
4:18 am
I hope JJ leaves. It wont be good for us in the short term but if we want to actually win a championship its sth we have to do. I would go out and sign a guy like Salmons to take his place, as long as his contract is reasonable of course. Then perhaps try to a big man in a S&T for Childress. If you can’t get a decent one then just get a future draft pick for him. Around the deadline we could then move Jamal Crawford’s expiring contract for a nice piece and let the newly drafted Jordan take his place. Then going into next off-season you suddenly have a lot of ways to improve your team after further looking at your needs. This year should be spent trying to develop/evaluate Teague and seeing what we really have with Marvin. Now that ISO Joe is gone maybe he can develop into some kind of offensive threat.
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:12 am
Phillip I disagree with, you can’t just let your best player just walk a way with out atleast trying 2 get him back or get somthing for joe, if there is sports where it’s very hard 2 make it 2 the top then basketball is that sport, team are alway’s trying 2 build threw the draft but never succed.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:18 am
Phillip here is a short list of team always trying 2 build threw the draft.
1.LA CLIPPER
2.PACERS
3.BUCKS
4.TIMBERWOLVES
5.KINGS
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:22 am
Hawks have a few pieces and joe is part of that part, bringing joe back is a big plus for the hawks, and if you can add either a star player at the 3 or 1 position along with joe then you have a chance come playoffs.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
Big Ray
June 27th, 2010
9:22 am
drmaryb ,
That’s just wrong, girl. WRONG. I expect that from I MUS WRITE , but you ? Wrong, girl, wrong.
…always up for a good joke…always..
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:24 am
If ASG want 2 make money they are going 2 have 2 spend the money period and stop being so cheap.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:31 am
One thing i no with the right offer for chris paul he could be in a hawks uniform, if im the hawks i would do my best 2 bring chris paul here 2 play onlong with joe in the back court.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:35 am
Let say hornet want horford do you make that trade i say yes.
MARVIN AND HORFORD for PAUL.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
9:40 am
AND YOU BRING CHILL BACK AND SIGN BRENDAN HAYWOOD.
STARTER PAUL, JOE, CHILL, JOSH, HAYWOOD.
BENCH TEAGUE, JAMAL, MOE, ZAZA, MORRIS.
RESERVE BIBBY, CRAWFORD.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Phillip
June 27th, 2010
9:50 am
Darrell, the thing is its gonna be awfully hard to get that other star player to go along with Joe. If we keep him we have hardly any room left to add anybody else. Joe is a shooting guard (albeit a very good one), probably the easiest position to fill these days. Just don’t think spending that much money on his worth it. I’d much rather spend max money on a PG who makes everybody on the team better or a C/PF with a post up game that you can build an offense around. Joe is neither and as long as he is here we are going to be stuck in the 40-50 win and 1st or 2nd round of the playoffs. Just face it Joe is a guy who should be playing 2nd or 3rd fiddle on a championship caliber team but here he’ll always be our top guy.
Ken Strickland
June 27th, 2010
10:06 am
HOOPS-It’s been said that Pat Riley is leaning more towards CBoozer than CBosh, and RAllen rather than JJ. If Lebron does leave Cleveland, he will likely sign with Chicago, and so would CBosh. If Chicago also tries to sign JJ, it would be a big mistake for JJ and the Bulls. JJ left the Suns because he wanted to be more than a 3rd or 4th scoring option. Well, if he signs with the Bulls, assuming they’ll sign Lebron and Bosh, with DRose already there, JJ would find himself right back in the same situation he went to so much trouble to get out of in Phoenix.
Besides, with Lebron and Rose needing to dominate the ball to be effective, plus possibly CBosh, paying JJ max money to be nothing more than a 3rd or 4th scoring option would be a complete waste of money and talent. There would have to be some serious chemistry issues a work with that lineup. After all, we know JJ had issues at times adjusting to playing with JCrawford. Can you imagine the issues he’d have trying to adjust to ball hoggers like DRose and LJames.
If JJ doesn’t resign with us, I see us taking one of 2 roads. (1) We sign a FA replacement like JSalmons and try to resign Childress.
SF-JChilress, MWilliams,
C-AHorford, Zaza, MBenga or Chandler
PF-JSmith, RMorris
SG-JSalmons, JoCrawford
PG-JTeague, JaCrawford, MBibby
(2) We try to resign Childress and move either JaCrawford or JoCrawford into the starting SG slot.
SF-Childress, MWilliams, MEvans
C-AHorford, Zaza, MBenga or TChandler
PF-JSmith, RMorris
SG-JoCrawford, JaCrawford(MEvans)
Pg-JTeague, (JaCrawford) MBibby
If JJ doesn’t want to resign with us, we could definitely do a sign and trade with the Bulls for LDeng, since he would be replaced at SF by Lebron.
doc
June 27th, 2010
10:09 am
dmb;
“What is the MOI and Etiology of the knee injury requiring, Micro-Fracture surgery.
Is it Immunological (Auto Immune System) in nature or repetitive stresses?”
to my knowledge it is for severe injury repetitive stresses, in general early degenerative arthritic changes in someone who needs a very radical procedure to continue to function at a previous level of activity. it is not the run of the milll guy on the street with osteo of the joint yet though it may be, it is a painful operation with significant specialized rehab ad i imagine the long term hazards are unknown.
for that reason, if it wasnt done as it is something they do in anticipation of problems, i suspect paul’s injury is partial tear though i havent read anything about the nature of his injury. because of federal hippa rules and regs this information is just not out there as much as it used to be about athletes and their injuries.
Sautee
June 27th, 2010
10:57 am
Hoops,
You asked for our thoughts:
I have a hard time thinking that the Bobcats would take Bibby, Zaza, and Mo for Chandler. Wishful thinking, but not very realistic, IMO.
I’d be fine with the trade, but I don’t see it as a viable possibility.
DP
June 27th, 2010
11:05 am
First the Hawks Sign Joe Johnson
Then Trade Josh Childress and Mo Evans to Washington for JaVale McGee a young 7 footer
Then in Free Agency sign Brendan Haywood (Shoot blocker and veteran) and Anthony Morrow (a great 3pt shooter)
The Line up should look like this:
PG-Teague/Bibby
SG-Johnson/Ja.Crawford/Jo.Crawford
SF-Williams/Morrow
PF-Smith/McGee/Pachulia
C-Horford/Haywood/McGee
Reserves:Pape Sy lol
Sherron Collins
hawks_4_life
June 27th, 2010
11:09 am
Morrow is 6′5, last thing we need is an undersized guard playing forward. We already have Mo doing just that.
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
11:09 am
PHILLIP if you not sign joe back and lets say you sign saloms, and the hawks try 2 go the cheap route, i guarantee the hawks win no more than 30games with and avg of 7,000 fans per game, and ASG will loose at lease 30mill or more.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
rusty
June 27th, 2010
11:11 am
let joe go,get salmons, he is tougher & more clutch
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
11:13 am
LET SAY THE HAWKS GO CHEAP.
STARTER TEAGUE, JAMAL, CHILL, JOSH, HORFORD.
or
STARTER TEAGUE, SALMONS, MARVIN, JOSH, HORFORD
30 WINS AT BEST WITH NO ONE AT THE GAMES.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!
DP
June 27th, 2010
11:17 am
First the Hawks Sign Joe Johnson
Then Trade Josh Childress and Mo Evans to Washington for JaVale McGee (a young 7 footer) and Al Thornton
Then in Free Agency sign Brendan Haywood (Shot blocker and veteran)
The Line up should look like this:
PG-Teague/Bibby
SG-Johnson/Ja.Crawford/Jo.Crawford
SF-Williams/Thornton
PF-Smith/McGee/Pachulia
C-Horford/Haywood/McGee
Reserves:Pape Sy lol
Sherron Collins
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
11:21 am
Now if you sign joe and chill and haywood and trade marvin, horford for paul.
STARTER PAUL, JOE, CHILL, JOSH, HAYWOOD
GAMES WILL SELL OUT AND YOU WIN AT LEAST 50 GAMES.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!
Grandad
June 27th, 2010
11:25 am
hawks_4_life::
On Morrow:
Because he’s the highest 3 pt % shooter in the NBA.
Dif. topic::
I don’t get all the scenarios where we sign…..
Salmons & trade Jamal. *[not necessarily - conjointly]
darrell starks
June 27th, 2010
11:27 am
CHRIS PAUL WILL BRING FANS 2 THE GAMES WITH CHRIS PAUL JERSEY EVERY WHERE.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
lewis
June 27th, 2010
11:35 am
7. Joe Johnson
Atlanta was my second favorite team and for obvious reasons. One of my best friends in the world is ex Hawks coach Mike Woodson and one of my favorite players is Joe Johnson. I hated when Joe left Phoenix and now Atlanta will suffer the same consequences a few years later. Johnson is gone and it’s just a matter of where he will settle down. I believe Chicago is his preference. The hard part I am having concerning Johnson is why he is in such a hurry to leave a 53-win team with very good talent. The Hawks will become a lottery team if Johnson walks and that will be devastating.
Read more: http://blogs.hoopshype.com/blogs/johnson/2010/06/26/the-top-25-free-agents/#ixzz0s4Ha9nUl
STEEL (Formerly VenomSpitter)
June 27th, 2010
11:42 am
Is it me or do the Hawks have the worst PR team ever. All the other teams have publicly introduced their draft picks. We haven’t done squat. Another reason why this team doesn’t have that many fans. There is no connection with them.
Grandad
June 27th, 2010
12:10 pm
STEEL (Formerly VenomSpitter)::
Now that you mention it…..
that’s odd;
usually we’ve had the draft picks in, pics, interviews,
the whole works -> what gives???
As a matter of fact;;;
quite a dearth of info locally.
no articles???
Old blog – on JJ ???
Draft pick & summer league info coming from regs on blog.
Bradley’s column so ancient it’s comical !
I’ve been in Nashville & got more NBA info on local radio.
They don’t even have a franchise !!!
STEEL (Formerly VenomSpitter)
June 27th, 2010
12:18 pm
Yea Grandad thats what I’m saying. What is wrong with this team???? Man why can’t we have the OKC Thunder. They actually seem like they care. The Hawks PR team (if they even have one) is one of the worst in ALL OF SPORTS IN THE COUNTRY.
Paul Harvey
June 27th, 2010
12:22 pm
3 ways to be 1 and done:
SF-JChilress, MWilliams,
C-AHorford, Zaza, MBenga or Chandler
PF-JSmith, RMorris
SG-JSalmons, JoCrawford
PG-JTeague, JaCrawford, MBibby
(2) We try to resign Childress and move either JaCrawford or JoCrawford into the starting SG slot.
SF-Childress, MWilliams, MEvans
C-AHorford, Zaza, MBenga or TChandler
PF-JSmith, RMorris
SG-JoCrawford, JaCrawford(MEvans)
Pg-JTeague, (JaCrawford) MBibby
3rd
PG-Teague/Bibby
SG-Johnson/Ja.Crawford/Jo.Crawford
SF-Williams/Morrow
PF-Smith/McGee/Pachulia
C-Horford/Haywood/McGee
Reserves:Pape Sy lol
Sherron Collins
repeating the same thing will get you the same results. Hawks were out of the playoffs because of weakness at center. Neither address the problem so the results will be the same or worse because the other teams will improve.
Now you know the rest of the story….Good Day!
Paul Harvey
June 27th, 2010
12:25 pm
lewis thats the same thing that JJ said about woodson. I guess JJ would consider the hawks more seriously if they could get a STARTING CENTER, so they would have a chance to compete seriously.
Please no more 1 and done will trying to convince the fans that Horford is a center.
Grandad
June 27th, 2010
12:31 pm
Having recently dealt with un-named Hawks
front office staff. I will say [emphatically]
that nothing surprises me. Drafting the kid who
paid his own way tickles me because the ASG
figures he’s so happy to be drafted that
he’ll pay his own salary.
The PR Dept. is prob. waitin’ on the AJC to call
them [the Hawks] and set up the PC’s & all.
‘Bradley’ is probably in charge of callin’ over & settin’
everthing up with the PR boys but he’s still pissed
that we didn’t hire his guy ‘Casey’.
“Stalemate”
hawks_4_life
June 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
Grandad what if the Frenchie turns out to be a find like Diaw. I for one is looking forward to the summer league to see how our young one are developing. Ill reserve all comments til we really see if we have any ballers undercover.
terrell
June 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
Ken, I just dont see Deng as that much of an upgrade over Marvin. I think with Joe gone, Marvin will try to be more aggressive. At least I hope so. However, if we do make the trade, we could possibly let Marvin move to sg. If I recall, LD once said that he thought Marvins best position was at the 2. Maybe he has plans for Duck at sg?
How would a lineup of Teague/Marvin/Deng/Josh/Horford with Jamal/Jordan/Mo/Morris/Zaza/Bibby coming off the bench work for you?. Starting lineup looks like a team full of forwards. lol!
terrell
June 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
Need to sign Kurt Thomas. Bring a little toughness in here.
hawks_4_life
June 27th, 2010
1:08 pm
Terrell it looks weak…where is the beef?
terrell
June 27th, 2010
1:25 pm
http://www.nbadraft.net/players/jordan-crawford
terrell
June 27th, 2010
1:29 pm
Where’s the beef? You’ve got a 6′10 sg, a 6′9 sf, a 6′9 pf, and a 6′10 C. lol!
terrell
June 27th, 2010
1:32 pm
I meant a 6′9sg, 6′9sf, and 6′9pf and a 6′10 C. lol!
lewis
June 27th, 2010
1:33 pm
Johnson, Smith and Horford are pretty much all the same size.
hawks_4_life
June 27th, 2010
1:37 pm
Come on now, lets be real. Did you forget D. Howard is in our division and destroyed us. Who on your roster is going to help with that situation? Al is all we have against him and he has his limitations against him.
Big Ray
June 27th, 2010
2:13 pm
STEEL , Grandad ,
You’re not the only ones to notice that. I’ve been bringing it up on both blogs. Nobody has heard a word from Crawford yet, that I can see. Not even on AtlantaHawks.com, though I haven’t checked that site in the last couple of hours. Very strange indeed.
Even stranger? There was a post draft interview with Pape Sy, who showed up for the draft and shook Adam Silver’s hand. What gives?
Reginald
June 27th, 2010
2:17 pm
If anybody has espn insider….POST THIS on here…it talks about Joe Johnson’s free agent value….VERY INTERESTING!!!!..http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5322898&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2finsider%2fnews%2fstory%3fid%3d5322898
Reginald
June 27th, 2010
2:18 pm
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/news/story?id=5322898&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnba%2finsider%2fnews%2fstory%3fid%3d5322898
HoosierHawk
June 27th, 2010
2:55 pm
I’d be cool with salmons. I think our core of talent (even without Joe) is much better than what he has played with the last 2 playoffs. Both seasons his teams have surprised people and stretched series to 7 games against Hawks and Celtics. Plus dude plays in the playoffs. JOE JOHNSON WAS NOT A LOT OF HELP IN THE PLAYOFFS. More like a hinderance that wants max money.
doc
June 27th, 2010
3:00 pm
reginald only insiders can get that info. if you cut and paste we can all be in the loop.
Grandad
June 27th, 2010
3:07 pm
Thanks MC;
Glad you didn’t take the sarcasm personal.
As always,
I’ve got your back.
Starved for info.
Draft was like X-mas – now that all I got was…
‘underwear again’ – @ least I’m not incontinent yet.
Me & or the Hawks have not stooped to drafting *Depends*.
*NY Knicks 1st pick [2nd round] *Landry Fields* for X-mas.
I’m still upset over *Pleiss = future *Gasol.
Why do you think Sam Presti wanted him so badly.
They needed a [5] just like us.
Presti considered [pretty] smart by peers.
bigdave
June 27th, 2010
3:13 pm
nobody knows exactly what Joe would look like in an actual offense. dont be so quick to discredit his talent or what he could contribute if he’s not asked to dominate the ball. a lot of his shortcomings were due to a mismanagement of skill by design from head coach Mike Woodson. its no telling how his game is maximized under a new regime rather here or elsewhere..
bigdave
June 27th, 2010
3:26 pm
Lebron leaning towards Chi?
http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/nba/news/story?id=5333896
dap01
June 27th, 2010
3:43 pm
It may be that JJ is squeezed out of Miami and Chicago. If he then goes to NJ or NY, it will be purely for ego or perhaps money. Because ATL will definitely offer a greater chance to win.
Again, ANY team that give JJ the max will regret the contract before the contract is finished.