Atlanta Hawks: J.J. to Mavs, Knicks, Bulls, Rockets . . . or Hawks?
Is there cash in that boot?
Another day, another Joe Johnson rumor.
This time it’s Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reporting that the Mavericks are interested in acquiring J.J. They are over the salary cap, so the only way to do that would be through a sign-and-trade agreement. That means J.J. would have to want to play for the Mavs and Dallas and Atlanta would have to come to an agreement on a trade.
The key line in Wojnarowski’s story is this: “Johnson is determined to get the sixth guaranteed season on a contract that could only come with re-signing in Atlanta or a sign-and-trade arrangement, sources say.” This is along the lines of what I’ve been saying all along, that guys just don’t leave $25-$30 million on the table. The signals being sent out by J.J,’s camp are clear: If Atlanta offers the most cash, Johnson will re-sign. If not, he will look elsewhere. What’s not clear is if the Hawks are willing to pay J.J. the max if that’s what it takes to keep him.
The thing to remember when all of these stories leak (in addition to the fact that leakers always have an agenda) is that no one knows for sure what J.J. is going to do. Last week the word was J.J. was ready to make an early commitment to Chicago. Then he was willing to take less cash to play for the Knicks. Now the latest is that he really wants a sign-and-trade, and perhaps he will look at Dallas (or Houston, as an enticement for Bosh to also sign there).
The AJC’s Mark Bradley asks if Atlanta wants J.J. back and that’s a good question. He mentions how the city of Cleveland has pretty much begged LeBron to come back. Bradley is talking about the fans, but it also seems the Hawks organization has been relatively subdued in its public recruitment of J.J. as compared to the teams of other top free agents.
In Miami, for instance, the Heat have gone all out to show the love for D-Wade. There’s been no reason to guess if the Heat wants D-Wade and if they will pay the max to make it happen. You can say that’s because it’s a no-brainer for Miami to pay D-Wade the max, and you would be correct. However, the Heat also went crazy for Udonis Haslem, who is a good player but not a star.
Hawks management, meanwhile, has been pretty quiet in regards to J.J. Soon after the season ended GM Rick Sund said the Hawks will do all they can to re-sign J.J. and has repeated that statement a couple times. But that’s been about it as far as public pleadings for J.J. by Atlanta’s brass. That hasn’t changed even as all these stories surface suggesting that other teams are ready to make aggressive pushes for J.J.
Anyway, we will soon see how it all plays out. I’m sticking with my belief that J.J. will re-sign with the Hawks if they offer the most money. They are still in control of this process.
MC
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278 comments Add your comment
K-Dogg
June 28th, 2010
9:45 pm
So you guys do know if Joe leaves we dont just have access to his money to go spend on anotehr player right lolll! With that being said i wold trade him to the Mavs for like Butler, roddy B and Dampiers expiring contract. Guys if Joe walks that does not free up $15 mil for the Hawks same way with the Cavs and Lebron.
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2010
9:57 pm
Ray,if Drew were hired (in part) with an expectation that he is a better locker-room manager, than surely you don’t consider dropping a 4-time All-Star prior to the team’s first practice with the new coach. If the chemistry doesn’t improve, then I hope that Sund chooses to keep the player that provides the team the best chance to win and reach new heights. In any case, I hope the choice isn’t passive, like “well since we have this problem, let’s just get rid of the guy who is easiest to eliminate”. Ease should not take precedence over what’s best for he team.
Jon Contract
June 28th, 2010
9:59 pm
Brenden Haywood & Caron Butler for JJ sounds good to me. JJ is not a max contract worthy player. Somebody will be doing us a favor if they sign him. If we can sign & trade, it’s icing on the cake if you ask me.
bigdave
June 28th, 2010
10:19 pm
ladies and gentlemen Jordan Crawford:
http://www.790thezone.com/instantreplay/Episodes.aspx?PID=1346
JeJe
June 28th, 2010
10:31 pm
HOW ARE ALL THESE MEETINGS BEING SET UP TO TALK TO LEBRON BY TEAMS NOT NAMED CLEVELAND NOT A BLATANT VIOLATION OF NBA TAMPERING POLICIES?
FIRE STERN
FIRE SUND
FIRE WOODY
FIRE ASG
Hoops
June 28th, 2010
10:33 pm
It’s time for a change!
1. S&T JJ to Dallas for Haywood & Butler (expiring contract) or
2. Trade Evans, Bibby, & Zaza for Chandler (expiring contract) after he passes a physical. S&T JJ to the Bulls for Deng.
Either trade gives the Hawks more options down the road and does not strap them to a Max contract for the next six years!!!
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2010
10:38 pm
“Trade Evans, Bibby, & Zaza for Chandler (expiring contract) after he passes a physical. S&T JJ to the Bulls for Deng.”
Deng has the 3rd worst contract in the NBA. I’d rather pay Joe a max deal than be on the hook for the remainder of Deng’s deal. At least Joe will take you to the playoffs.
SWAT Native
June 28th, 2010
10:41 pm
@ Blast – Blast
June 28th, 2010
8:59 pm
Go Dream, Go. 11-4, baby, top in the East.
I’m with you baby! Instead of complaining about Joe Johnson (who’s going to resign here for the max after all the dust settles), can we Hawks fans get behind the Dream? They got something good going.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2010
10:43 pm
“your dead right about the wade situations. I live in downtown miami and there is a giant sign on I95 saying “we want wade back”. I’m pretty sure there is none of that in atl.”
Wade was the best player on a title team. Joe is good, but he is nowhere close to that caliber. If the Hawks had Wade instead of Joe you can bet there would be billboards begging him to return too.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 28th, 2010
10:48 pm
“It’s my understanding that in a sign and trade, we could only bring back salary that’s roughly half of what we’re trading away. ”
MC, can you confirm or deny this? I was always under the impression that the base year compensation rule applied to players who were signed and then traded later in the season, not sign-and-trades which if I’m not mistaken are treated as one transaction under the CBA.
Ken Strickland
June 28th, 2010
10:52 pm
JEJE-Dampier makes $12M. Why in hell would you want to pay $12M to a big, slow, nonathletic center who’s stats are 6PPG, 7.3RPG and 1.4BPG as a starter, when you know those numbers will be drastically reduced with him coming off the bench. He just wouldn’t fit in with our uptempo OFF philosophy. Think and do little research before throwing some of your suggestions out there.
I mean, good grief, how can anyone make an issue of offering a max contract to JJ, who’s our best OFF & DEF player, scoring and assist leader, but suggest we pay $12M to a player as limited as LDampier to come off your bench?
N.D.T.K.A.
June 28th, 2010
11:02 pm
Okay, “Joe is not worth max money!” We keep hearing this. But now ask yourself, “Who worth max money is coming to the Hawks now or within the next two years?” Or “Let J.J. walk so we can be in on the free agent class of 2012!” If you are a Hawks fan and have followed them for the past six or seven years how many tier one or type A free agents have been lining up to play in Atlanta? Only one guy wanted to come here five years ago that’s Joe Johnson and if he is a tier two or type B player, it took a truck load of frontloaded money to bring him to the Hawks. Keep thinking D. Howard is coming to Atlanta in two years if you like, but history says based on the organization in place, he won’t. What a player is worth is not based on just how we feel about the guy, but what others are willing to pay (market value)and what his worth is in said market. We all know Joe is not Lebron or D. Wade but being right behind those guys is still an elite position in the NBA. Atlanta Hawks are not the Celtics, Bulls, Knicks or Lakers (re: a major market team with advertising, franchise history, tremendous fan support and free agent attraction). Hawks are going to have to build through the draft and retain as many quality players as possible to be competitive to compete in this market. So stop pipe-dreaming thinking that J.J. is not worth the money and some big name type A guys are coming here. The market dictates that he is worth the money if the ASG offers him a 6 year max contract like has been reported. Hawks have to develop there own brand and loyalty to the guys we have to be able to sell other guys on coming here and sorry folks the Hawks are not at that point yet with this ownership group.
underdog
June 28th, 2010
11:08 pm
THESE GUY CAN BE HAD OR LEAST 2 FOR THAT 3 MII..IAN MATLINMI P/F SPURE-6-11,BRENAH HAYWOOD C/7/1,ANTHONY MORROW 6/5 SG WARR…TRAVIS OUTLAW.TONY ALL..CHANNING FRYER..WESLEY MATTHE SG/SUN..JERMAIN ONEAL..MATT BARNES.JJ REDICK…ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS..CAN U SAY BENCH U GRADE..IF JJ STAY OR HE GO WE NEED A FEW GOOD MEN ON THE BENCH 9TO 10 DEEP AND LET THEM PLAY
northcyde
June 28th, 2010
11:11 pm
I’m absolutely convinced that all of these “unnamed sources”, are actually the blogs and message board from fans kicking around ideas.
People dog out MC for not reporting stuff, but look at what is being reported. Then go to some of these message board from other teams, and see if they didn’t talk about it first.
You got these writers from around the country peeping this blog, and Hawksquawk, and Hoopinion, and Peachtree Hoops . . and trying to come up with any nugget of information to report from an “unnamed source”.
andrew
June 28th, 2010
11:37 pm
why not do a S+T with the lakers, joe johnson and mike bibby for andrew bynum
then trade josh smith for john salmons and kurt thomas (i know smoove dont like milwaukee, but it is wortha try
andrew
June 28th, 2010
11:39 pm
starting 5
1. jeff teague
2. john salmons
3. marvin williams
4. horford
5. bynum
6. jamal crawford
7 mo evans
8. zaza
it takes 8 to win a title and this looks pretty good
andrew
June 28th, 2010
11:42 pm
or better yet
an S+T with the lakers giving up josh smith and mike bibby for andrew bynum
then joe johnson leaves, and the hawks sign john salmons
and we get kurt thomas somehow
1. jeff teague
2. john salmons
3. marvin williams
4. al horford
5. andrew bynum
6. jamal crawford
7. kurt thomas
8. zaza
9. mo evans
10. randolph morris
looks good to me
andrew
June 28th, 2010
11:45 pm
i really think if joe johnson leaves, signing john salmons has to be priority number one
i also think trading josh smith should be an option
think about it, the lakers need a pg (bibby) and then they will pick up a player for the present and the future in josh smith
those 10 guys i have on the aforementioned roster would be more than capable of winning the nba title
andrew
June 28th, 2010
11:46 pm
final thought: all i know is this, if joe johnson leaves and we do nothing
we will fall back to the 6 or seven seed in the east
~~MAC-ToWN~~ (Area Code 478)
June 28th, 2010
11:47 pm
Honestly, I’m tired of hearing about Joe. The only ways I’d be happy with Joe coming back is if he showed up more in big games and in the playoffs…..or if he were to leave and we cant acquire adequate pieces to make the team better,
I’m all for S&T Joe if we can get some nice pieces from some sucker team who believes JJ is alot better than he really is.
JeJe
June 29th, 2010
12:07 am
You get Dampier because he will be an expiring contract, will be healthier this coming year, and commits hard fouls, something this team hasn’t done in about 20 years. The key is that Beaubouis guy
JeJe
June 29th, 2010
12:35 am
Mac Town, I was reading the Joe to Dallas article earlier, and in the comments section, the Dallas fans have him figured out: underachiever in playoffs, jumpshooter, afraid of contact.
Let’s get D.Lee from NYK or K.Mart from Houston or someone
rusty
June 29th, 2010
12:38 am
anyway you cut it jj is not a max player. we dont need him here. a deal with dallas would be fine
darrell starks
June 29th, 2010
12:54 am
The hawks will have make a choice on josh or horford one day.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 29th, 2010
12:58 am
I think if the hawks pursue chris paul then joe will return this would be a smart business move by owner ship.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
Grandad
June 29th, 2010
12:59 am
MC said – “Haywood would have to be a seperate deal.”
He’s an un-restricted FA.
If Joe goes to Dallas ‘Roddy’ needs to be part of any deal.
*Rodrique ‘Roddy’ Beaubois*
If Butler can be squeezed in…nice…if not,,,fine.
Beaubois would be the key for us. [Rondo clone]
Najera would be a nice [add on/throw in].
Hard nosed + he’s a “B-ball player”.
Guys, c’mon, we don’t want Dampier.
Cheese-burger’s better than him.
cp – @ 3:26 I had already chronicled him as Roddy.
Don’t worry, all the enlightened, such as;
AJ knew who you mean’t.
darrell starks
June 29th, 2010
1:00 am
Chris paul is a superstar point blank period, trade josh and teague or horford and marvin for paul.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 29th, 2010
1:04 am
TRADE HORFORD AND MARVIN FOR PAUL SIGN JOE, CHILL AND FREE AGENT HAYWOOD.
STARTER CP3, JOE, CHILL, JOSH, HAYWOOD
BENCH TEAGUE, JAMAL, MOE, ZAZA, MORRIS
RESERVE BIBBY, CRAWFORD
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grandad
June 29th, 2010
1:15 am
andrew:
-drmaryb- is teaching a class in “Basketball 101″
@ Phipps Plaza, Suite 1332
1 sem hr. BS, or 3 PLU’s for teachers.
cost $19.00 per classroom hr.
I think it’s 4 days @ 6 hrs. per.
You’ll have to do the math.
Must pay in advance.
Grandad
June 29th, 2010
1:20 am
me-thinks G-dad just perpetrated a ho-ax.
Grandad
June 29th, 2010
1:24 am
*ho-ax – circa 1980’s ‘Lewis Grizzard’ – nothin’ dirty
MsDee
June 29th, 2010
1:39 am
Okay, I hear a lot of people saying that if we lose Joe Johnson, we would not be an elite team anymore, or we would be a lottery pick team, or we may not make the playoffs again..well I have to disagree. Yes keeping Joe Johnson would be great but it’s not a necessity. Joe Johnson does not make or break this team.
Who is to say that Jordan Crawford would not be the next new and improved Joe Johnson? I liked his comments from 790 the zone, oh and thanks ‘bigdave’ for the link. I liked his response when asked, what is your take on all the commotion with the LeBron James? He said he doesn’t understand how a player could have so much power on who goes where doing trades. In other words, basketball should just be played by players and not get caught up with being focused on one or two players…and I agree. I also liked his response when asked, how do u feel if Joe Johnson doesn’t return? He replied, ‘getting back in the gym and elevating my game to be prepared for what ever happens.’
I believe many rookies could be on the level of these top-notch players but unfortunately they’re coming in behind great players already.. case in point, Jeff Teague. Who is to say, Jeff couldn’t have been the next Chris Paul? Gilbert Arenas was picked 31 and look at him now. Jordan Crawford says he plays as if he has a chip on his shoulder. I believe he do because no player believes they are worth the end of the draft line, let alone, the 2nd round. Those players have something to prove. Gilbert Arenas did and so does Jordan Crawford. So I say all this to say, let Joe Johnson go, we have another star in the making and his name is Jordan Crawford!!
MsDee
June 29th, 2010
1:42 am
Did I say, “look at Gilbert Arenas now..” LOL..well, dont look at him NOW but look at what he became as a b-ball player..one of the elite players after being drafted #31.
MsDee
June 29th, 2010
1:46 am
Now, after listening to Jordan Crawford, he doesn’t sound too excited to be playing for Atlanta and maybe that’s a good thing..again he will be wanting to prove to those other teams that skipped him what kind of player he really is. There were 26 times a team could have picked him, but chose someone else. I am looking forward to seeing what he can do on the floor.
_sturt_
June 29th, 2010
2:17 am
Once again, boys and girls… do a little research and you’ll discover that Dampier’s contract is COMPLETELY non-guaranteed, which in essence makes him an “instant-expiring”… or, also gives the team holding his contract the option to hold on to him and wait until the next year.
THAT is a pretty significant chip… what the Mavs fans have been calling a “dust chip.”
F the Hawks!!!!!
June 29th, 2010
2:19 am
Alan Houston all over again. If we sign Joe to the max then we will be handcuffed as a franchise for the next 10 years. It happened to the Knicks, it will happen to us. You can take that to the bank Hawks fans.
bigdave
June 29th, 2010
2:35 am
MsDee…
just his demeanor.. he was on ESPN’s first take immediately after “dunking” over/on/beside the queen and he played it cool.. said he didnt know what he did until the high school’ers in attendance were going nuts. he did say he was excited about the opportunity to join Teague in the back court this summer.. but he can’t really say too much about the city given his only time here was during Brian Nichols week.. appears to be another calm mannered guy.. im fine with that.. especially if he can put the ball in the cup @ this level like in college..
Simpdawg
June 29th, 2010
3:13 am
It’s going to be very interesting to see who the Hawks have on their Summer Leauge roster in Las Vegas. There were some good college players who weren’t drafted. Players like Sherron Collins, Omar Samhan, Andrew Ogilvy, Tommy Mason-Griffin, Scottie Reynolds, Wayne Chism, Artsiom Parakhouski and Brian Zoubek just to name a few.
bigdave
June 29th, 2010
3:15 am
Thibodeau naming Ron Adams to staff…
Simpdawg
June 29th, 2010
3:16 am
Correction I meant Summer League.
bigdave
June 29th, 2010
3:20 am
some tough defensive philosophies will be implemented in Chi next season with those 2..
~~MAC-ToWN~~ (Area Code 478)
June 29th, 2010
7:21 am
JeJe….awhile back, someone on here posted an article by some Chicago writer/blogger that had JJ figured out as well.
Def. need some more tough guys on this team. Some gritty players would reduce alot of those lae game collapses, star or non-star.
O'Brien
June 29th, 2010
7:29 am
MC,
I might be an impatient fan, but any news on Drew’s coaching staff?
Considering how we have heard names associated with the new hires (Sam Mitchell with Avery, Bickerstaff reportedly joining Nate McMillan, Thibodeau getting the Thunder’s defensive assistant), I’m surprised we haven’t heard not even one name mentioned about Drew’s possible assistants.
Is it that he is doing a good job keeping it under wraps, or there is just nothing to report?
MsDee
June 29th, 2010
7:56 am
Good question, O’Brien..he probably has hired some folks, they just might be some no-namers. I believe he should have asked if Mark Jackson would like to get his feet wet by being an top assistant. It shouldnt be too far fetched since he did interview for the HC position.
i_am_soulstar
June 29th, 2010
8:33 am
Here’s the summer roster.. Kind of thin for the Hawks
http://www.nbadraft.net/2010-nba-las-vegas-summer-league-game-schedule-rosters
i_am_soulstar
June 29th, 2010
8:40 am
But of course, it’s a preliminary roster.
~~MAC-ToWN~~ (Area Code 478)
June 29th, 2010
8:41 am
It looks like nbadraft.net thinks Pape Sy is just as much “NBA Ready” as Jeff Teague..as they both got rating of “6″ in that regard.
wow.
nobody
June 29th, 2010
9:12 am
Why would we trade Joe for Yao Ming? He never sees the court…Id do it for that martin kid who is a scorer and shane battier. But definately not for Yao Ming. Thats basically paying a salary for nothing. Mike Hampton ring a bell Braves fans?
nobody
June 29th, 2010
9:17 am
From that list of summer league rosters it doesnt seem Brian Zoubek has a team. I mean trying him out wouldnt hurt us.
nobody
June 29th, 2010
9:40 am
Can someone give a brief report on this Beabouis guy?