Atlanta Hawks: J.J. willing to play for less money in New York?
ESPN.com’s Chris Broussard says the Knicks will meet with J.J. in Los Angeles soon after free agency opens at midnight Thursday.
That’s no surprise since New York is one of a handful of teams with the cap space to offer J.J. a max deal and it’s always been speculated J.J. would look at the Knicks because of his his strong relationship with coach Mike D’Antoni from their Phoenix days. Until now I’d always heard New York wasn’t very interested in Johnson, but apparently that’s not the case. Broussard says the Knicks think J.J. can sell LeBron on teaming up in New York, which seems to be kind of a backwards arrangement.
The most interesting part of Broussard’s story is that he reports Johnson is willing to take less money from the Knicks, who can’t pay him as much as the Hawks due to salary-cap rules. According to Broussard, J.J. believes he can make up the roughly $25 million difference through endorsements and stock shares in Madison Square Garden. (Edit: I’m pretty sure paying a guy in stock options would be against NBA rules because it is a circumvention of the salary cap. Edit2: A helpful reader emailed to point out the league has already addressed this specific situation.) If the Hawks resign themselves to J.J.’s departure, he could get the $25 million and they could get an asset through a sign-and-trade.
Don’t ask me about the stocks, but J.J. hasn’t been a very marketable player, nor has he been very enthusiastic about marketing himself. Not sure how much that changes even playing in New York, especially if he’s on a team with either LeBron or Amare. And I’m still waiting to see all these older free agents willing to forsake $20-30 million in salary just so they can be more famous, play on a better team, bring in extra endorsements, live in a better city or whatever.
In any event, J.J. taking less money to play elsewhere is the scenario most feared by Atlanta . Rumblings that J.J. may be willing to do just that before free agency has already begun will only increase the Hawks’ nervousness about his departure. Getting the word out there certainly gives J.J. more leverage with the Hawks, who at some point may have to decide if they will give J.J. a six-year, maximum-level salary.
I wouldn’t think J.J. would be a New York kind of guy–if he thinks he got it bad here after fading in the playoffs, wait until he’s the goat in that city. I’ve always thought the Bulls would be J.J.’s most likely destination if he left Atlanta. Just a couple days ago K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reported that J.J. was ready to make an early commitment to the Bulls.
But then Jonathan Abrams wrote in the New York Times that the Bulls are the favorites to land LeBron and Bosh, which would not leave money for J.J. Then again, maybe Bosh really is headed for Miami and then J.J. and LeBron can team up in Chicago.
Already you can see how free agency is going to be a pretty silly season.
MC
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
311 comments Add your comment
Joey M
June 27th, 2010
6:33 pm
I would prefer to get Dewayne Wade on the team ahead of Joe Johnson. If we had him instead of JJ last year I believe we would have won more games and had better seeding in the playoffs.
i_am_soulstar
June 27th, 2010
6:33 pm
Am I the only one that thinks Rudy Gay is a better investment than Joe Johnson?
He’s 24 years old, small forward w/ comparable stats (considering he plays more small forward than guard)..
Someone offers him 5 years/ 70-75 mil.. Memphis isn’t matching!
tony
June 27th, 2010
6:33 pm
Why blame everything on JJ for what went wrong in the playoffs? I could careless if JJ goes or stays but the fact of the matter is that we have owners who are not commtted to winning championships. They hire people(Billy Knight/Rick Sund) who don’t have a clue how to build a championship team and they are unwilling to spend the money to hire a quality coach.
Rather JJ resign or not this team still isn’t built to win championships. We have too many low IQ basketball players and without a natural center.you can’t beat the best teams in the nba.
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:34 pm
GT_Thrasherfan: “Just a thought…If any time someone mentions LeBron before July 1, shouldn’t this also be tampering? The league better fine them if our owner stating the obvious (that he’d pay LeBron whatever to bring him here) is fine-worthy.”
most of the people talking about LeBron have been smart enough not to put their name on the comments.
Bubba G
June 27th, 2010
6:34 pm
I agree Michael Cunningham. You must share the opinion of many hawks fans. Right? Stay away Joe Johnson
jlewis
June 27th, 2010
6:36 pm
No offense to MC or anyone else, but this just proves no one knows JJ or what he thinks, he’s being called dumb “no know what stock shares mean” or someone that is sensitive and is scared of NY. No one knows what the guy is thinking, and thats a good thing in my opinion. Additionally, people that really know basketball does not think ATL’s failure in the playoffs was all his fault, it starts with Woodson making no adjustments, ala, staying with a switching defense that was consistently broken down, to an undisciplined on and off the court JSmoove, to having no idea on how to attack Orlando, do you double Dwight and leave the shooters or do you guard the shooters and let Dwight operate, ATL gave up both.
Dont get it twisted, 6′8 guards that play every game, keep their noses clean and can put the ball in the hole and play D are always wanted. JJ is being made the scapegoat for an organization that refuses to upgrade its bench or bring a top notch coach in here.
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:36 pm
@ Bubba G: “I agree Michael Cunningham. You must share the opinion of many hawks fans. Right? Stay away Joe Johnson”
what do you mean?
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:39 pm
@jlewis: “No offense to MC or anyone else, but this just proves no one knows JJ or what he thinks, he’s being called dumb “no know what stock shares mean” or someone that is sensitive and is scared of NY. No one knows what the guy is thinking, and thats a good thing in my opinion.”
i’ve never pretended to know what he’s thinking. i’ve never called him dumb. i’ve never said he’s scared of NY, just saying it wouldn’t make sense to leave here for there if it’s because he didn’t like the criticism he got here. you are right, J.J. is a valuable player and the postseason failures were not all his fault.
Bubba G
June 27th, 2010
6:39 pm
I was agreeing when you said it was who offered the most money for Joe would get him. Do you want JJ back in a ATL Hawks uniform?
jlewis
June 27th, 2010
6:43 pm
MC
I didnt say that was you that called him dumb or scared, that was others opinion which they are entitled to. The guy took criticism all year but only spoke out once, which he shouldnt have, but many have said things after a bad ass whipping with no plan to stop it.
ryan
June 27th, 2010
6:44 pm
If we got Rudy Gay i would happy with that but are big issue is keeping the team together if Joe Johnson accepts that huge contract with the Hawks that would be great.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 27th, 2010
6:49 pm
““Players only give up that salary in order to win a ring. No one is going to give up 30 mill in order to come from a team like the Clippers or Nets to come here. Players give up that kind of money to go play for the Lakers or Celtics”
name me one”
Didn’t Payton and Malone do this in 2004? If I’m not mistaken, both played that year for the Lakers for the veterans’ minimum…
Of course, if the Lakers hadn’t been title contenders already, chances are neither player goes there. Players only leave money on the table to chase rings if the team they are joining is already a legit title contender. The Hawks certainly are not that.
jlewis
June 27th, 2010
6:50 pm
Ryan
Give it up man, lol, the Hawks are going to operate on the cheap, there are no free agents coming, there is no money. THE FANS DO NOT COME TO THE GAMES WHICH = NO REVENUE for players with a high level of skill. And make no mistake, you need at least 3 players with a high level of skill to win a championship.
jlewis
June 27th, 2010
6:50 pm
Ryan
Give it up man, lol, the Hawks are going to operate on the cheap, there are no free agents coming, there is no money. THE FANS DO NOT COME TO THE GAMES WHICH = NO REVENUE for players with a high level of skill. And make no mistake, you need at least 3 players with a high level of skill to win a championship.
Navigator
June 27th, 2010
6:50 pm
Dominique is the last superstar this team had, so anyone acting like a superstar should be compared to Dominique. Does anyone remember that 7 games series with the Celtics when Bird and him went at it for the whole game, with neither giving an inch. Whether anyone else says it, I think that was the greatest game 7 that wasn’t a final. Dominique gave everything he possessed to get his team in the finals against the Lakers and that’s what we have been missing since. Larry Bird didn’t say it then, but years later he said that was one of the greatest games he ever played.
Mark
June 27th, 2010
6:51 pm
Regarding the stock options, the Knicks wouldn’t pay him with those, but Madison Square Garden is a publicly traded entity. Thus, JJ can buy the shares himself and if they appreciate (which would be likely with a strong team), he would make more money. This has been discussed often with Lebron and how his marketability would help the Garden, so its all perfectly legal and has nothing to do with payment from the Knicks.
jlewis
June 27th, 2010
6:52 pm
Mark
You hit it right on the head.
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:53 pm
@ Bubba G: “I was agreeing when you said it was who offered the most money for Joe would get him. Do you want JJ back in a ATL Hawks uniform?”
got ya. what i want is for this to be over quickly. i have no stake in JJ returning or not.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 27th, 2010
6:54 pm
“I think JJ would thrive there with Bosh…but not LeBron. ”
Eh… I think Joe and LeBron would coexist just fine. The one free agent I don’t see coexisting well with Joe is Wade. I think their styles of play are a little too similar for them to fit well together. But LeBron has needed a stretch-the-floor 2 guard for a long time, and Joe would fit the bill.
In fact, considering that Derrick Rose is a subpar shooter himself, I’d say if LeBron goes to Chicago he would need someone like Joe to play the 2 so that teams don’t just clog the lane against him.
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:54 pm
@jlewis: “I didnt say that was you that called him dumb or scared, that was others opinion which they are entitled to. The guy took criticism all year but only spoke out once, which he shouldnt have, but many have said things after a bad ass whipping with no plan to stop it.”
cool . . . i lol’d at that last line
Najeh Davenpoop
June 27th, 2010
6:55 pm
“Madison Square Garden is a publicly traded entity. Thus, JJ can buy the shares himself and if they appreciate (which would be likely with a strong team), he would make more money. ”
If MSG is publicly traded, what’s stopping Joe from signing with Atlanta or Chicago and still buying shares in MSG?
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:56 pm
@Najeh: “Didn’t Payton and Malone do this in 2004? If I’m not mistaken, both played that year for the Lakers for the veterans’ minimum… Of course, if the Lakers hadn’t been title contenders already, chances are neither player goes there. Players only leave money on the table to chase rings if the team they are joining is already a legit title contender. The Hawks certainly are not that.”
they did, but at that point in their careers their value wasn’t such that they were leaving $30 million on the table. they’d already gotten their two big deals in their careers. J.J. has only had one, so this is his chance for a second.
Michael Cunningham
June 27th, 2010
6:57 pm
@Mark: check the updates. the league has said the stock options are a circumvention of the salary-cap.
Tdot
June 27th, 2010
6:58 pm
If any of ya’ll think ATL will be just fine without JJ is crazy….You can’t replace his output on the court, like him or not…If he goes to another team, ATL will be a 35-40 win team and more than enough empty seats this season, lol…Peace…
Bubba G
June 27th, 2010
6:58 pm
@Michael Cunningham, Do you like the Jordan Crawford pick? I’m not too familiar with him, what does he offer?
Notso Fast
June 27th, 2010
7:05 pm
JJ is a very good player but not a great player. He cannot carry the team & make the players around him better as great players do. Replacing his points per game will not be easy but can be done if we can find a team player that will raise the level of his teammates.
UGA
June 27th, 2010
7:08 pm
I hope Joe comes back. But, if he does not, where do the Hawks turn their attention. Aside from Childress, do they really pursue John Salmons like we’ve read???? I just don’t think we need to start Jamal, he’s much better off the bench.
ccrider
June 27th, 2010
7:17 pm
David Lee and John Salmons together would make this a better team, than having Joe Johnson return ( particularly on a max contract where JJ would be in his mid 30’s when it expired!)
Scott
June 27th, 2010
7:19 pm
If Joe wants to sign with New York we have a three options. The first option would be to hope he agrees to a sign and trade so he can earn more money with New York. We sign and trade him for there cap space and we will have a 16 million dollars Traded Player Exemption. That we have one year to use before it expires. This could be very useful in the current economic times we may be able to acquire a quality player from a team wanting to reduce there luxury tax for 2011. The second option would be if we agree to sign and trade for Eddy Curry and his 11.2 million dollar ending contract we would have a 5 million dollar Traded Player Exemption and his expiring contract to use in trades. The third and worst option for Atlanta would be if he signs with New York and we get nothing in return. We would sign Josh Childers and maybe another player with our Mid Level Exemption. I personaly hope for option number one.
JeJe
June 27th, 2010
7:20 pm
“ryan, why can’t some of these come to atlanta? answer- one name, rick sund.”
No.
2 names: ASG, Rick Sund
JeJe
June 27th, 2010
7:22 pm
MC, maybe players haven’t given up that much money, but taking less money so one can just go to a better team or be more marketable makes no sense either. JJ is not going to take less money, even though he knows he’s a career choker. I don’t even think he’s been that great in the regular season except that 25 ppg year and maybe 1 other.
People DON’T MENTION THAT HE SUCKS IN THE PLAYOFFS PERIOD. IT’S NOT JUST THE ORLANDO PERIOD
HE DOES NOT SCORE EASY BUCKETS
Jamal Crawford >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> offensively than Joe, and I have a ton of JJ apparel so it’s not like I am a hater than him. Watch J-Craw DESTROY the Celtics on YouTube then tell me Joe has done anything like that except for that one !@#damn game vs. Boston 2 years ago
FIRE SUND
ASG SELL THE TEAM
Skid
June 27th, 2010
7:23 pm
I like JJ but I just don’t see him coming back to ATL. IMO its not going to be the end of the world if it happens either.
I think the Hawks will still be a playoff team with the right pieces added.
NUNNA!!
June 27th, 2010
7:23 pm
Hey Joe!!
I heard you shot yo old lady down(jimi hendrix lyrics people)…
But for real tho,Joe,i am a lil disappointed in yo post season play but,i do appreciate your help in making us a 50+ win team this year..
Yes i hated the offense we ran with u,and i hated woody’s coaching style period,but,i also think that you don’t want to be known as,”THE MAN”,and it was thrusted upon u so..
I think u are a better #3 or #4 scorer who could also be in position to make the last shot,”shoot yo lady down joe”..
so everyone,lets just say our see ya’s to joe and let joe go to the knicks or whomever and wish him well..We will be fine..
I have more trust in Sund and Drew than i did with Knight and Woody or just plain old woody..
Marvin will pick up joes scoring slack,just like he did when joe was out 2 years ago before the all star break,resting..errrr i meant recovering from an illness or something..
We will now have to get 2 centers,othello hunter,and some burn time for Craw2 and Big Pope!!
Also package Bibby and Zsa Zsa together for a pick and i back up center or just move them for more cap room..
Also its on the wire that the St.Mary’s Center Omar Samhan,may be on our summer league squad or maybe not..but the hawks are one of 2 teams he may be signing with..The other is,dallas i think..
tom
June 27th, 2010
7:26 pm
I hope JJ leaves and goes anywhere. He is not worth the dollars. Also, earlier today the guys a 790 the zone spent endless hours talking about JJ staying or leaving. However way too much time was spent talking about Chris B and the Hawks. Not happening guys. Why waste the oxygyn on something is not ever going to happen. Hawks on not on his radar. Anyone with value doesn’t want to come to a franchise with a fractured ownership that won’t even spend some money to hire a highly qualified coach.
JR
June 27th, 2010
7:26 pm
Heard through some talk shows that the Pacers may be willing to trade Danny Granger. I know a lot of you are infatuated with Rudy, I am too, but if we could package a deal for Granger I would try everything I could to get him. He’s a lot more of a player than JJ
JHitTheRoad
June 27th, 2010
7:32 pm
I think this is a real possibility, Sign and Trade JJ to Chicago for Joakim Noah, team him up with his college buddy Al, move Al to PF and Josh to SF. Sign free agent Rudy Gay for 13M/yr. Gay will be SG
Starting 5:
PG- Teague
SG- Gay
SF- J Smith
PF- AL Hortford
C- Noah
This lineup is way more alth. with much more upside. And will keep the team salary reasonable.
This is a very realistic option and still leaves cap room to sign a mid level player
BigCaliDawg
June 27th, 2010
7:33 pm
We need a big thuggish, ruggish………….like, somebody who don’t bathe.
Joe should try modeling, cuz all he did was pose in the playoffs.
JeJe
June 27th, 2010
7:39 pm
Giving Joe Johnson a Max contract will be the biggest mistake this franchise ever could make
1) do you really want to pay this guy circa 23M when he is 34? I will go out on a limb and say Joe has regressed already the last 1.5-2 years. Do you people really want to give a max contract to a guy who is INVISIBLE in the playoffs?
Jamal Crawford is EVERY bit as talented offensively as Joe. It’s not his fault he was drafted by a horrendous team and traded to 2 more horrendous teams. He DROPPED 50 POINTS ON DWYANE WADE. JAMAL + CHILLZ will easily make up for the loss of Joe.
The ASG doesn’t even need to spend extra money this summer if they want to win around 50 games next year. START JAMAL and TEAGUE and bring Chillz of the bench or start Jamal and Chillz at the 1 and 2 or even Chillz at the 3. There’s plenty of options.
And I do recall Gilbert Arenas taking a MASSIVE paycut to resign with the Wiz with the hopes of pursuing a title 2 years ago. He may have felt guilty about his injuries, or maybe he just thought the trio of him, Jamison and Butler, plus the other talented pieces they had, could’ve competed for the title (which most of us thought).
Summary: Joe is NOT worth a max contract. Let a team like the Knicks screw themselves over by signing him.
Jamal >>>>> Joe offensively and I will support that statement for a long time. Hell, I’d offer Jamal an extension right now. This guy will always give 100 % effort, something I can only say about 2 or 3 other Hawks players (Horford, Z, and Teague)
JeJe
June 27th, 2010
7:41 pm
I would try move Marvin right now for a package including Maxiell or Wilcox
tony
June 27th, 2010
7:42 pm
JHitTheRoad, I like that lineup you have there but I believe Jamal Crawford should play the 2 because teams fear him.
Dan's Dickau
June 27th, 2010
7:48 pm
I wish they would let him walk. I think Marvin Williams/Crawford would go a long way to make up the difference. Love the Rudy Gay thing, but what would we have to give up? This team is already thin.
Steve
June 27th, 2010
7:50 pm
I just remember during the regular season, with Joe hurt, we were losing to some pretty bad teams. Crawford is fine, but he is a slight step down from JJ. And he is older also – and a FA next year. Will be interesting to see what we do with him and Horford as FA’s in the same year. I say re-sign JJ if possible – JJ, we want you in ATL!
Reid Adair
June 27th, 2010
7:51 pm
Joe Johnson isn’t committed to winning a championship any more than the Hawks organization. It really doesn’t matter if it’s more money or less money – as long as he moves on.
ryan
June 27th, 2010
7:52 pm
I am hearing that if LeBron ends up in Chicago Joe Johnson will join him i think Chris Bosh goes to LA. This ASG ownership is done i just do not seeing surviving its doomed.
Nick P.
June 27th, 2010
7:56 pm
JJ is not whats going to take the Hawks to a championship! If I were the Hawks, I’d make plans for one of the other free agents, such as Amare or Bosh, but I have seen what Joe can do, it aint enough! personally I would go for Bosh and make a deal for Parker from the Spurs, along with crawford, smith & Horford, now that would be a good five!
This group is like Mookie & steve smith etc… which had to be broken up due to lack of progress!
bigdave
June 27th, 2010
8:03 pm
“We need a big thuggish, ruggish………….like, somebody who don’t bathe.”
lol…
meh
June 27th, 2010
8:09 pm
the knicks organization is a joke. max money to a guy who is getting worse on defense every year and has to dominate the ball. 21 ppg is not an elite scorer. ugh. this is like rashard lewis redux.
bigdave
June 27th, 2010
8:09 pm
From Broussards Twett:
Very possible that 5 of top 6 free agents join 2 teams: LJ/Bosh in CHI, DWade, Amare or Boozer and Joe Johnson in Miami
less than a minute ago via webChris Broussard
bigdave
June 27th, 2010
8:09 pm
*Tweet
can tell i dont do it..
qlb
June 27th, 2010
8:18 pm
How about we do a S&T with Dallas for Brenden Haywood and Caron Butler. Butler averaged 15ppg and Haywood gives us a center that we need. If Larry Drew offense is a more uptempo like it is rumored your starting lineup can be:
teague, butler, smoove, horford, haywood
bench: bibby, crawford, crawford 2, williams, zaza, chills, joe smith,
I would even think about traded zaza and bibby for anything we can get. Because I think the center from St. Marys is better than ZaZa and can be a backup center. I know people think smoove is not a great but I disagree he was second in blocks and had a high amount of steals as well he overall is a better defensive player than horford. Only reason horford made the All-Star team is cause he plays center and the east lacks real true centers.