Atlanta Hawks: Still waiting on J.J. (Sat. Update: Hawks confident, patient)
SAT. UPDATE: Despite the rumblings about J.J. bolting to team up with another All-Star , the Hawks remain confident he will accept their max contract offer.
There hasn’t been discussion about a sign-and-trade because Joe still hasn’t given Atlanta any indication he doesn’t want to re-sign. The Hawks expected the process would take a few days so, from their perspective, nothing has changed. Hawks blog legend Sekou agrees that everything is still on track for an agreement.
Note to my blog people: I’ve been trying to avoid posting new blogs unless there’s a significant development in the story so you can continue your comment threads. If you are interested in more frequent updates/chatter/discussion, you can follow me on Twitter. If you are not on Twitter, you should be. . . .
The apparent hesitation by J.J. to accept the Hawks’ six-year, maximum contract offer has led to speculation that perhaps he’s waiting to see what happens with LeBron and other top free agents before committing to Atlanta.
(UPDATE: Chris Sheridan of ESPN.com reports that J.J. “wants to see how things shake out with the other maximum-salary free agents” before making a decision. He quotes a source saying the chances of J.J. accepting the offer are “slightly” better than 50-50.)
SI’s Ian Thomsen reported earlier today that J.J. and Stoudemire remained “open-minded” about taking less money to sign with the Knicks if LeBron goes there (though now it looks like Amare already is committed to New York) . Under that scenario, which Thomsen described as a “longshot”, either J.J. or Amare (or both) would have to take even less than the non-Bird max to play with LeBron in New York since the Knicks don’t have the cap space to give all three max deals.
Meanwhile, the Hawks continue to wait on Joe. There still have been no indications that he won’t accept their offer. His agent says Joe is “comfortable” and “happy” in Atlanta. In their last meeting, the Hawks reiterated their desire to offer him $27 million more than what he can get on the market. So I’m not sure what’s the hold up.
If you are still hoping for a J.J. sign-and-trade, the transaction would have to happen all at once. When the signing period opens on July 8, the Hawks couldn’t sign J.J. and then trade him later in a separate transaction. Under CBA rules, if J.J. re-signs with the Hawks he’s not eligible to be traded for 90 days or until Dec. 15, whichever comes later.
MC
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304 comments Add your comment
Astro Joe
July 2nd, 2010
9:30 pm
ShamSports The same site that said Childress would sign with the Wizards now says he’s staying in Greece.
cj
July 2nd, 2010
9:31 pm
What about Garrett Siler. He had a good year in China,do you they will invite him to the summer league?
i_am_soulstar
July 2nd, 2010
9:40 pm
CJ,
I hope so, they don’t a center on the summer league roster yet apparently.
Justin
July 2nd, 2010
9:41 pm
When Joe Johnson came into the NBA, he was a lottery pick. Now, he just won the lottery. In the future, players with expiring contracts will kill their team in the playoffs and make disparaging remarks about the fans so that they get a massively over-paid contract the next go around. Joe Johnson has found the winning numbers for all NBA players.
I Heart Atlanta
July 2nd, 2010
9:43 pm
SHAQ WOULD BE AWESOME!!!
JIMMYMACK
July 2nd, 2010
9:45 pm
MC, is there any words on the coaching staff?
northcyde
July 2nd, 2010
9:45 pm
Just to appease Big Ray . . saying if JJ doesn’t re-sign, someone ( probably me ), might blame the fans:
***************
((( Knicks video presentation to JJ on a laptop . . . by them using their version of Ice Cube’s classic diss song to NWA . . . “No Vaseline” )))
ICE CUBE: “Here’s what they think about you . . .”
(( cut to the beginning of Game 4, showing Hawks fan booing JJ in the 1st quarter ))
ICE CUBE: “Here’s what they think about you . . .”
(( screenshot of an AJC blogger ripping into JJ ))
ICE CUBE: “Here’s what they think about you . . “
(( clip of Michael Wilborn dissin JJ on Pardon the Interruption ))
ICE CUBE: “Here’s what they think about you . . “
(( random caller on a 790 AM sports show, bad mouthing JJ ))
**********************
Then the music plays, with 50 Cent dissing Atlanta to the “No Vaseline” beat . . while also urging JJ to sign with the Knicks.
NCBravesFan
July 2nd, 2010
9:46 pm
Hard to blame Joe for thinking carefully and reviewing all available options. Props to the Hawks for doing all they can do right out of the gate.
Justin
July 2nd, 2010
9:46 pm
What will be really fun to see will be some team offer Al Horford the max contract next year, which the Hawks won’t be able to match after JJ makes off with everything but the gold on our capitol. Or was that included in the deal too?
Big A Hawks Fan
July 2nd, 2010
9:49 pm
The reason why I typically hang on MB and Jeff S.’s site is that they answer your questions! some things never change! I am outta here!
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
9:54 pm
northcyde,
Your age is showing, or lack of it.
My Hawks history goes back to ‘68.
Bigger than ANY of those events you mentioned, for me, were:
1. Losing David Thompson AND Marvin Webster to the Nuggets (then an ABA team) in the ‘75 draft. Geez, what we could have been. They were the #1 and #3 picks in the entire draft. That is BY FAR the most momentous event of the Hawks Atlanta history.
2. Finally moving into the Omni after WAY too long at Alexander Memorial
3. Winning the Western Division in ‘70 (somewhat unexpected)
4. Drafting Pete Maravich
5a. Trading for ‘Nique
5b. Losing Zelmo Beatty ( I just about cried)
I guess some of us old-timers take a longer view, like newkid says.
JIMMYMACK
July 2nd, 2010
9:56 pm
ASSISTANT COACHES??????????????????????????????????????
I have read emough about the team makeup. NEW SUBJECT.
VARIETY, SOMETHING DIFFERENT…………………………..
JIMMYMACK
July 2nd, 2010
9:57 pm
ENOUGH, ENOUGH……………………………………….
Dan23
July 2nd, 2010
10:02 pm
Has anyone heard any more news on the shopping of Marvin and Bibby? Or as MC has said numerous times that Sund’s focus has been completely on JJ.
vava74
July 2nd, 2010
10:03 pm
Is this how you want to end up?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Aqm9pjv4Cmj6ow2vccw48KK8vLYF?slug=ap-freeagency-suns
Losing your star player and re-sign and/or sign a couple of role players?
Najeh Davenpoop
July 2nd, 2010
10:10 pm
If the Knicks allow 50 Cent’s no talent azz to butcher an all-time Ice Cube classic, I think Joe would have enough self-respect to reject them on the spot.
northcyde
July 2nd, 2010
10:12 pm
Fair enough Sautee . . . But the Game 7 battle between Nique and Bird has to be in that top 5. Only old time die hard Hawk fans will list some of the accomplishments you listed. The longtime fans like you are appreciated though. It’s good to pass down history to the younger generation.
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
10:12 pm
AJ,
Surely you don’t give credence to a site named “ShamSports” do you?
northcyde
July 2nd, 2010
10:13 pm
hahah @ Najeh . . . I started to say Jadakiss . . but Jada likes ATL. He wouldn’t bad mouth us. But that punk and traitor 50 would.
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
10:17 pm
northcyde,
You’re probably right about that Game 7. I was jaded about the Hawks as that season went on, so I thought they would lose in 5. So I was pleased, but never really thought they could pull it off. I guess that makes ME less inclined to rate it as highly, but I’m aware that League Historians hold that as one of the classic Game 7’s.
ryan
July 2nd, 2010
10:17 pm
If we loose Joe Johnson i am done with the Hawks i don’t care what you people say if loose him the Hawks are a lottery team if that is what you people want SO BE IT. We are not getting Wade, LeBron, Bosh, or Amare . Joe who we can get If loose him be careful what wish for.
Ken Strickland
July 2nd, 2010
10:20 pm
If JJ signs the Hawks contract offer, it means JChildress won’t be resigned. Someone within the Hawks organization indicated Sund feels the Hawks need a starting quality FA center to go with JJ and back up AHorford more than they need a FA SF. They also indicated the ASG are willing to go over the luxury tax threshold in order to sign one.
They plan to use the $3M they acquired during the draft to pay the luxury tax penalty.It also means they think most of the problems Marvin experienced was do mostly to Woodson, and the fact he did absolutely nothing during the season to address his OFF inconsistency.
If, in fact, there was a summit meeting between Bosh, Lebron and Wade, we now see why JJ was excluded. He obviously wanted to receive a max contract from the Hawks more than he wanted to play with Lebron.
SAUTEE-don’t forget, the same yr we drafted and lost David Thompson and Marvin Webster to Denver, we had Julius Ervin under contract, and he actually played in some exhibition gms for the Hawks. Also, in addition to losing Zelmo Beatty to the ABA, we also lost “Jumping” Joe Caldwell.
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
10:21 pm
Sautee
Don’t forget signin’ Dr.J then The league voidin’ his contract.
Somehow we don’t get ‘im & he ends up on the 6ers.
I can’t remember if there was a stop in between.
Nonetheless, didn’t Doc & Pistol play a couple of exhibition
games together?
By the way 5b. Zelmo was the 1st Big Z.
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
10:22 pm
Dang ken you beat me by 1 min.
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
10:24 pm
Ha, imagine what would happen today if we had the overall #1 and #3 picks and ended up with NOTHING! It was unfathomable. And David Thompson was sooooooo much fun to watch. It still to this day makes me nauseous.
This blog would go batsh!t insane if that happened today. Y’all don’t know how easy you got it.
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
10:29 pm
Dang, Ken and Grandad, y’all are pilin’ on.
I didn’t mention Julius, because it was rumored all along that we couldn’t keep him.
And Caldwell leaving would be 5C.
John McCain
July 2nd, 2010
10:29 pm
Straight talk express
I think that center is coming here to start and horford will get his minutes backing up the center and Josh Smith. Im pretty sure thats what been discussed and why Horford says he want to go back to forward. Hell get starter like minutes between backing up Josh and the new center.
just a little straight talk.
JeJe
July 2nd, 2010
10:30 pm
it’s obvious Joe’s boy A’mare called him up and told him to join him in The Big Apple. That’s the hold-up.
northcyde, sorry I don’t have time to read the 200 page salary cap rules. I was actually ASKING earlier about the rules for when a team is over the cap after resigning someone like Joe what the rules were.
Why don’t you stop paying attention to idiots like me and keep promoting your idea that the fans in ATL suck, and that Woody and Joe are not to blame for any playoff failures since that’s obviously what you’ve been insinuating the last 4 months.
I’m out
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
10:36 pm
Hey Jeje, thanks for taking the caps lock off. Seriously.
JeJe
July 2nd, 2010
10:36 pm
I agree, MC, but J’Oneal is not a dude I want to mess with right now. He is not the oldest guy in the world, but his knees are literally 1 hit away from being done for 2 weeks. Shaq also is not a guy I want on this team. I’d take another ZaZa for $5M before I took Jermaine for 3M
Sautee
July 2nd, 2010
10:38 pm
BigA Hawks Fan,
I thought you said you were “outta here”.
Couldn’t stay away?
Najeh Davenpoop
July 2nd, 2010
10:40 pm
ESPN confirms MC’s story. Joe is still strongly considering New York and Chicago.
Sarah Palin
July 2nd, 2010
10:42 pm
Don’t listen to ‘ol straight talk. He and his boys ratted on me about my shopping spree.
He’d probably say anything to get your favor. He’s not even a true Republican.
robdawg08
July 2nd, 2010
10:52 pm
Why would the Hawks “settle” for JJ if HE decides to resign ? Just forget about him and tell him you don’t want him at all. As long as he has the Hawks “in the hole” to sign with he will shop himself with all other teams that HE wants to play for. Don’t let this inconsistent player do ya like that Hawks.
Najeh Davenpoop
July 2nd, 2010
10:53 pm
My bad… I just got that link tweeted to me, and didn’t realize it was already linked in the article.
JoJo the Godfather
July 2nd, 2010
10:53 pm
Do you give Joe a deadline to accept?
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
11:00 pm
Big A Hawks Fan
“Shut up, punk.”
Who’s this Clint Eastwood character?
Jody
July 2nd, 2010
11:00 pm
robdawg08,
Co-sign. As long as you allow yourself to be treated second rate, you’ll always be second rate.
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
11:04 pm
Mary Ellen
I think ‘Section 303′ is a ma’am.
JeJe
July 2nd, 2010
11:05 pm
“Do you give Joe a deadline to accept?”
No because there’s no plan if he doesn’t accept.
Sund is probably the worst GM in the NBA and the ASG are broke useless owners. Deep inside, this ownership thinks keeping this core together will yield a championship, since EVERYONE IS STILL YOUNG AND HAS POTENTIAL
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
11:07 pm
JeJe
Backup plan = S&T
Harry Hawk
July 2nd, 2010
11:08 pm
Damn right, JeJe.
Plan A: Sign Joe to max contract.
Plan B: Oh, s***.
Harry Hawk
July 2nd, 2010
11:08 pm
Sure, they might get a sign and trade deal done with somebody, but what if it’s the Knicks?
O'Brien
July 2nd, 2010
11:10 pm
I like the Shaq signing. For one, it gives ASG more credibility, because national media like Shaq. And I think he will help improve the ASG’s perception. And From a marketing standpoint, fans will come out to see Shaq.
From a basketball standpoint, I think its ok too. Shaq looked decent last year (when he was healthy). Sure, his pick and roll defense is weak, but he does give us a big body down low. And if Horford is at PF, and Shaq at Center, you can throw it in to Shaq (who is also a good passer), or Horford can use his mid-range jumper.
I dont think you would want to play Josh and Shaq together though.
I tell you what. If the ASG offer Joe the max, and he still takes less money to play somewhere else, that will not bode well for the ASG, or the Hawks.
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
11:11 pm
JeJe
I don’t trust Sund either.
That’s why the best way to improve is to keep Joe,
yet stay the same,
then change through better teaching/coaching.
Tweaking > Wholesale
James
July 2nd, 2010
11:14 pm
Joe is going to New York it’s going to be Joe Johnson and Amare Stoudemire going to the knicks. LeBron and Chris Bosh is going to Chicago and Carlos Boozer is going to Miami to play with D-Wade.
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
11:15 pm
Harry Hawk
*S&T -w- Knicks
If one is savvy, it’s better than nothing.
S&T = Gallinari (sp) + + ?
i_am_soulstar
July 2nd, 2010
11:16 pm
Check it out. Damion James is injured (slightly). This could’ve been our bad news.
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=Av4EPbl4fQgPt88U0mUo2v3TjdIF?slug=ap-nets-damionjames
newkid
July 2nd, 2010
11:21 pm
JJ is doing what ‘followers’ do; he’s waiting for others to point the way. No surprise here is it?
Grandad
July 2nd, 2010
11:22 pm
James
I’m with MC on this one.
Joe to ATL. -w- J & A + Shaq ?
Better chance to win.
Serious.
Even w/o Shaq.
$27 mil.
I will not make that in 27 lifetimes.
People throw that # [$ million $ dollars]
around like it’s chitlins’ or sumthin’.