Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson speaks
I had a sit-down today with J.J. after he signed his new deal at Hawks headquarters. Thought you might want to peep the Q and A:
Q. Can you take me through the process of when you met with the Hawks, they made the offer and then you also had interest from other teams?
A. “It was pretty much the free-agency frenzy that was going on. It was a fun time. I enjoyed it. All along I pretty much felt like Atlanta was the place for me. I have had five great years here. I haven’t regretted anything since I’ve been here. I’ve had a lot of fun. The team has improved every year. The coach and the ownership have done everything possible to improve as a team. I think right now, it is pretty much our time. We have just got to believe in ourselves.”
Q. Did the Hawks discuss their plans for the roster during the meeting?
A. “We kind of sat and talked. They pretty much said how they felt about me coming back to the team and how much they wanted me back. It was a great meeting. They said they are going to do whatever possible to improve the team. They have been doing that since Day One. You can’t argue with that. . . . It was really a brief meeting. We didn’t really have to sit and talk long. I understood where they were coming from, and that was that.”
Q. What did it mean to you for them to offer you the maximum deal?
A. “It meant a lot to know they have got the confidence in me to try to lead this team in the right direction and over the hump. I think we can definitely get over the hump. Knowing they have my back like that makes me want to work even harder. I’m sure I won’t let them down.”
Q. You know how it goes when guys get maximum deals. There’s going to be even more scrutiny of your performance. Are you prepared for that?
A. “I know it’s going to come. I can’t really worry about that. I have to control the things I can control and go and compete night-in and night-out and have fun with it. At the same time, this is definitely my job. I am up for the challenge.”
Q. L.D. has talked about making changes in the offense to get the ball moving more. He says that will help take pressure off of you. Are you cool with not having the ball in your hands so much?
A. “It definitely takes a lot of pressure off of me. Me and Drew talked about it. He wants me doing a lot more catching and shooting. Not creating so much until late in the game so I am not so worn down. I respect his opinion on anything. He is our head coach now. He is definitely going to make the right decisions.”
Q. Your agent said you planned to recruit other players. Any ideas on the guys you’d like to come play with you?
A. “(Laughs). We have to go out and see what is out there. Honestly, I think we have the team now we can win with. That’s no question. The last two years we have averaged 50 wins. We all know it’s time to step up and take it to the next level. I think with the team we’ve got right now we can do that.”
Q. Some fans still have hard feelings about your comments during the playoffs. It seems like that has contributed to some of the negative reaction to the news that the Hawks were offering you the contract. Now that some time has passed, do you have anything more to say about what happened?
A. “It was just in the heat of the moment. We had a tough battle against a great team in Orlando. I think I can speak for a lot of guys on the team [that] there was some frustrating moments. I was just really speaking out of frustration.”
Q. What would you say to the fans who are still mad about it?
A. “There is nothing I can do about it now. I just look forward to the season and getting out there and playing. This is my job; this is what I do. I am going to come out and try to have fun and hopefully change their minds.”
Q. There has been lots of criticism from media and fans around the league about your contract. Have you seen or heard it?
A. “Naw. Uh-uh.”
Q. There are lots of people saying it’s a bad deal for the Hawks. Does that bother you?
A. “There is nothing I can do. You have got to deal with it. You deal with the bad. It doesn’t bother me at all. I am going to still come out and do my job and be effective and do whatever it takes to win. You can’t worry about what people say about you. You have got to move on.”
Q. Do you feel added pressure to live up to the contract?
A. “Not at all. I don’t feel no pressure at all. All I have got to do is keep playing my game.”
MC
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406 comments Add your comment
Simpdawg
July 8th, 2010
11:53 pm
Joe Johnson doesn’t care about winning. Look at what LeBron, D-Wade and Chris Bosh are doing in Miami. There’re all making monetary sacrifices to win a championship. The dumb ass Hawks front office has overpaid for a second tier player and that decision along will strap this team of making any improvements via a sign and trade. It’s really hard to support this franchise.
JeJe
July 8th, 2010
11:53 pm
“We all know it’s time to step up and take it to the next level. I think with the team we’ve got right now we can do that.””
HE SAID THIS BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS.
NO ACCOUNTABILITY. NO TRADE RUMORS. ITS OBV WE NEED SHAQ AND BARNES AND A PG.
NO TEAM OPTIONS ON MARV AND BIBBY S CONTRACTS. GOD DAMNIT
Grandad
July 8th, 2010
11:54 pm
I’ll be dawg-gone folks.
Here’s a guy that has represented our franchise well
since his arrival. He came here when no-one else would.
We’ve gotten better every year he’s been here. He got
frustrated. For pete’s sake – so have you & I.
He’s not going to kiss anyone’s ass and I wouldn’t want
him to do that. He stays out of trouble, he prepares,
he stays in shape, c’mon. Once again, Joe is understated
& softspoken. He leaves & we hate ‘im, he stays, we hate
‘im, pick one.
Look the Hawks are in position to be a very good team.
I would rather be us than Miami. [Home Grown]
Why harbor all that acrimony?
Me, and I know you could care less, I’m movin’ on!
The Dreamer 3K
July 8th, 2010
11:55 pm
If that letter is actually by Gilbert, and I can’t believe it is, he should be ashamed of himself. It’s as classless and hypocritical of an act by an owner as I’ve ever seen. He should be rebuked by every owner and player in the league. It’s worse than anything Cuban has ever done. Stern must act.
JeJe
July 8th, 2010
11:55 pm
WE NEED TRADES
MARVIN AND BIBBY ARE NOT GETTING IT DONE.
TALKING TO MYSELF
JeJe
July 8th, 2010
11:56 pm
WHY NOT OFFER SMOOVE AND MARVIN FOR MELO? THEN WE WILL F’ING COMPETE
MAKE TRADES
WE HAVE THE PIECES TO MAKE ANY TRADE IN THIS LEAGUE AND STILL BE ELITE
DAMNIT
Timbo
July 8th, 2010
11:57 pm
Grandad, yeah he’s come here both times because we were willing to pay him more than anyone else . . .
It isn’t like he took less money to come here (or stay here). He got about the max of what he could get both times.
JJ
July 9th, 2010
12:00 am
@Chip Shot Speak for yourself. Go ahead and join the Heat nation. They succeeded in getting what they needed. We can’t hate them for that. I wish our management was like that. I do hope they make more moves to improve this team. I’m a Hawks fan and regardless of all the criticism that’s said, I’m not selling out on this team.
Good interview MC.
LET’S GO HAWKS!!!
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
12:02 am
I could care less what Joe said during the playoffs.
Joe could care less what he said in the playoffs. He has about 120 million reasons to care less, all of which are guaranteed.
Get over it, suck it up, do whatever you have to do. Or piss and moan for a while and guess what? It still ain’t changed.
Now here’s what I want Joe to do:
1. Get on board with Larry Drew’s offense.
2. Get on your teammates sometimes when they start messing stuff up.
3. Shoot the lights out of the gym.
4. Earn another starting spot in the all-star game.
5. Defend like your life depends on it.
6. Step up in the playoffs. If there was ANYTHING worth apologizing for, that miserable playoff performance was it. But screw the apology. Just play better.
I think he will do all of the above.
Section 303
July 9th, 2010
12:02 am
Grandad, no one ever asked him to kiss anyone’s ass. And, yes, everyone gets frustrated, says something they wish they could take back, etc. But, wouldn’t you agree that the right thing to do is acknowledge that and say sorry? I betting that is what most people do. Stop trying to rationalize it any other way. He needs to apologize. Know that while you’re “movin’ on!”
Jay Dubu
July 9th, 2010
12:03 am
If the Cavs’ owner wrote that letter, I can see why Labron left town. Does he feel like Lebron owed him something?
You just fired the coach, and forced the GM to resign, and have little cap room to upgrade your roster. The Cavs were not going to compete the upcoming season. Too many changes!!
Good for you Lebron to get out of there!
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
12:03 am
The Heat didn’t get what they wanted for themselves.
The players involved got it for them. Credit Wade for being a heck of a recruiter. Credit Bosh for being a freakin’ tool. Now who has bets on how long this triumvirate lasts?
Wabe
July 9th, 2010
12:03 am
Let’s go ahead and get this out there.
Even if JJ had taken less money and recruited his arse off trying to get another top-level guy into ATL, tell me why any of these top-level guys would choose ATL as opposed to the glamous and glit they get from some of these bigger markets?
Some of you expect JJ to do what Wade, Bosh, and LBJ are doing (taking less money to win), but are failing to mention any of the top-level talents that had their eyes set on ATLANTA as a possible FA destination.
You can say we overpaid, you can say he doesn’t deserve it, but we’re in a much better spot than Cleveland finds itself in at the moment – or even the Knicks, or the Nets. All those teams had far more cap space than the Hawks had to work with, yet they came out of this as bigtime losers.
You can try to justify the Knicks improvement with Amare, but they’re not winnning any titles with Amare alone.
The Nets spent all of their time courting LeBron, and ended up signing Travis Outlaw as a conselation prize?
And Cleveland, one can only laugh…or show sympathy. I’m laughing. All those years “adoring the King” – and the second he puts on another uniform, you know your era just ended.
Consider the Hawks lucky to come out of this process in decent shape. It’s obvious we need additional peices to remain competitive in a revamped East. But, minus JJ, in this revamped East, you do the math. We may have overpaid, but overpaying for a player of JJ’s caliber is better than overpaying players like Marvin and Mike Bibby who have nothing to show for their paychecks. Fill the roster out with formidable guys, and lets see what these Hawks can do.
Section 303
July 9th, 2010
12:05 am
I love Gilbert’s letter. Refreshing to see someone not have to sugar coat their real feelings. Nice to see a fellow Michigan State Spartan skipping the PR bullsh#t and saying how he really feels.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
12:06 am
Najeh Davenpoop
July 8th, 2010
11:12 pm
“He wants me doing a lot more catching and shooting. Not creating so much until late in the game so I am not so worn down.”
This is the thing of substance to take from Joe’s responses. Good to know that the offensive responsibility is going to be shared more under Drew.
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes. This shows that Drew knows what to do offensively. That’s how you use Joe, and that’s what the Hawks fell in love with when they got him away from Phoenix. That’s the Joe you want. The same guy who shot 46% from the field and 48% from the arc in 2004-2005.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
12:08 am
Wabe ,
Damn fine post. Although, I think a few people think we’re already overpaying Marvin and Bibby, LOL.
Gainesville#1
July 9th, 2010
12:08 am
Everybody keeps talking about them overpaying jj but they didn’t have a choice.
Hoops
July 9th, 2010
12:09 am
1. Trade for Shaq in a S & T with the Cavs for Marvin. Add Evans if needed. They need a SF after LaBron is gone.
2. S & T Childress to the Wizzards for McGee. The contracts don’t match, but they are under the cap.
3. Use part of the MLE and sign Matt Barnes. Use the rest of the MLE and sign Shaun Livingston or Jordan Farmar.
This is a great line up:
PG-Teague/Livingston or Farmar/Bibby
SG-Crawford/Crawford2
SF-JJ/Barnes/SY
PF-Josh/McGee
C-Horford/Shaq/Zaza
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
12:10 am
Amare is going to look like bull poop unless they get a pg who can feed him properly on the regular. I’m betting Carlos Boozer has a better season in Chicago than Amare does in New York. And I can only laugh….
Jay Dubu
July 9th, 2010
12:11 am
Good for Cleveland. I hope they bring Big Z back so he can relish in thier 40 win season next year. He snubbed the Hawks to go back to Ckevekand, and they lost in the playoofs, and now maynot get back to the playoffs for a long time.
Timbo
July 9th, 2010
12:11 am
Gainesville#1, they did have a choice . . .
ignition
July 9th, 2010
12:15 am
The real question is can this team compete with what they are putting together in Miami..???
Terrell
July 9th, 2010
12:15 am
Harry Hawk
I tell you why it would be hard. Because it’s a bunch of BS. You’re not happy with how they play, fine go ahead and boo them, but don’t forget how empty the stands were a lot of the season. Don’t forget that except for the playoffs the only time the ganes sold out was when LeBron, Dwayane or Kobe came to town. If he owes us an apology then the same should be said about us and our lack of overall support.
Hoops
July 9th, 2010
12:18 am
ignition,
If the Hawks add Shaq, Matt Barnes, & a decent PG(Livingston or Farmar) the Hawks will beat Miami every game next yer! Book it!
niremetal
July 9th, 2010
12:19 am
HOLY CRAP!
I LOVE men!
Timbo
July 9th, 2010
12:19 am
WOW! Cavs owner Dan Gilbert says that Prince James quit on the team during the playoffs . . .
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5365793
Of course nobody calling the game called him out on it!
Grandad
July 9th, 2010
12:21 am
Section 303
I sincerely apologize for my course language.
Terrell
July 9th, 2010
12:21 am
Simpdawg ,
Then go and be a bandwagon fan for the Heat. Even if Johnson took less money our cap wasn’t set up to sign other players. If we don’t resign JJ then we only have about $10 million of cap room. Lebron Wade and Bosh will all make more than that this year.
Grandad
July 9th, 2010
12:23 am
ignition
Mr. ignition;
My question is, can they [Miami] compete with us?
tidog
July 9th, 2010
12:23 am
Too many people bent out of shape because Joe and the ASG agreed on a business decision thats going to benefit both parties. Who on this blog can truthfully say they’d turn down what Joe was offered ? ASG is going to get their return on the investment. It’s a game sure, but it’s still business.
Michael Cunningham
July 9th, 2010
12:24 am
@ Chip Shot: “hey MC did you ask specifically who JOE BLOW was trying to recruit? if its matt barnes we have no shot at winning 45 games next year”
sure i did. it’s right there in the Q and A.
The Dreamer 3K
July 9th, 2010
12:27 am
When the Cavs cut players every offseason, are they being disloyal or cowardly? When they traded Zydrunas Ilgauskas, did they betray him, irrespective of getting him back? No, they were simply doing what the rules allow to better their chances of a championship. To use the hyperbolic language he used is offensive to not only to James, but to the League.
James didn’t create the collectively bargained for system. He simply did what the rules allow to better his chances for a championship. It was not as if he walked out on his team at half time and came back to start the third quarter wearing a different jersey.
Now he is saying that James quit on the Cavs during the Celtic series. Then why did he want him back? Why is he so outraged at his leaving? He sounds more like a girl (or a guy) who has been dumped for a prettier girl (or a guy), and less like a professional befitting his stature as an owner.
Again, Stern must act.
cdog
July 9th, 2010
12:31 am
JEJE, NOW YOU SEE WHO IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE HAWKS? HE IS RICK SUND.YOU HAVE SOME GREAT COMMENTS.WHY CAN’T SUND SEE THINGS IN A COMMON SENSE WAY? WE NEED TO GET BETTER BUT WITH SUND HE DOESN’T CARE
Coach
July 9th, 2010
12:34 am
CHRIS PAUL TO ATL – MAKE THIS HAPPEN JOE!!
Reid Adair
July 9th, 2010
12:34 am
Well, Joe Johnson still won’t apologize for his comments. He won’t acknowledge his poor performance in the playoffs.
And, yet, we’re supposed to believe that he’s going to take his game “to the next level” because he got a max contract?
ASG is going to realize quickly what many fans already know – this was a mistake.
Coach
July 9th, 2010
12:35 am
CHRIS PAUL
ignition
July 9th, 2010
12:37 am
MC What’s the chances we keep Chillz ??
I want him here to be a starter & we can move Marvin to the Bench..
Prison Mike
July 9th, 2010
12:37 am
The miami cheat just have no shame. Kahn is just a joke of a gm, still miles better than billy knight, not saying much at all.
Coach
July 9th, 2010
12:37 am
This will not be a mistake as long as Sund follows through with what he keeps saying about fielding a winning team. Owners claim they will spend the money. Sund has to prove that ATL will compete!
Gainesville#1
July 9th, 2010
12:38 am
Who? Who were they going to bring in to fill jj’s shoes
Coach
July 9th, 2010
12:40 am
If we have to trade Josh for CP3 – we would still have our big 3. We can win with these guys as our core.
Horford
Joe
CP3
moboman
July 9th, 2010
12:41 am
Bosh is a good player, but he is now more overpaid than Joe. Where has he taken Toronto? He can score, but is not a defensive presence. Unless the Heat can get some inside help, they will be vulnerable. Takes more than three guys to get it done. What did Kobe and the Lakers do between the Shaq and Gasol years?
Michael Cunningham
July 9th, 2010
12:44 am
@ignition: “MC What’s the chances we keep Chillz ?? I want him here to be a starter & we can move Marvin to the Bench..”
i don’t think chances are very good. there will be a market for him and i’m not sure if the Hawks will match if he gets a multi-year deal.
Coach
July 9th, 2010
12:44 am
Gainesville thats what i’m screamin………if we didn’t resign Joe, who’s left? If we don’t like Joe 3 yrs from now somebody would want him. We can always trade in later. I think Joe will work out. Look at Ray Allen’s old a$$. Joe can catch and shoot with Ray all day. When Joe is 40 like Ray, he will still be valuable. Shooters are always valuable. You’ve seen those old men playing pick up games down at the park. Shooters never stop. Joe will be a shooter until he’s 60. He will have a spot on somebody’s team until he can’t shoot anymore.
Hawk4life
July 9th, 2010
12:45 am
This is my first time posting, but I read this blog everday.
Let me say this….if you are threatening to not be a fan for: JJ’s contract, a response to miami, etc….THEN GO!!!!!!!
I’ve been a season ticket holder for 4 years (YES even when they sucked) and I will always be a Hawks fan.
I think we overpaid for JJ, but we had to. With a few creative signings and a smart trade or 2 the Hawks will compete for the Championship.
Here is my problem with Shaq….I LOVE him and it would be fun watching him with the Hawks, but how does he fit in? He doesn’t want to come off the bench and would be a distraction if he did. So move AL to the bench? THat would doom us to not resign him. Move Smoove to the bench? Oh my gosh I Love watching him play WHEN he plays hard…can you imagine the sulking from the bench.
Next, for all you dreamers of Paul and Carmello forget it. I WISH just like you do, but there is no way. Childress, Smoove, and Horford are the Hawks only true trade chips until Bibby, ZaZa, Joe, and Marvin get to the final year of their contract. Are any of those guys or combo going to get us Paul or Carmello? NO! I wish, but no. Someone like Matt Barnes, or another Jamal type move is the best we can do.
In any case, sit back and relax. Love the Hawks….its a long time until the season starts!
Gainesville#1
July 9th, 2010
12:47 am
Does anybody know when the hawks summer league starts? I’m anxious to see jordan crawford. I didn’t watch him in collage.
moboman
July 9th, 2010
12:47 am
Chillz is gone. Thank goodness. Let him take his from the hip jumper and be ineffective elsewhere. We have no minutes for a guy who the defense will collapse away from. No more 4 against 5 on offense.
tckr83
July 9th, 2010
12:47 am
Thats a good interview…
Did Joe Johnson say he was going to give some money back so the Hawks could make the team better? I must have missed that part, i’ll read it again. But I just didn’t see it… must be my eyes, I need glasses I guess. I must’ve just missed it, oh well.
Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh… all taking less cash to win. (Looks over at Joe Johnson in the corner, who’s whistling and staring at the ceiling corner.) HELLO?!?! Got anything to say Joe???
ignition
July 9th, 2010
12:48 am
MC So who can we get if we cant resign our current players who can add to our team like Chillz?
None of those guys you mentioned in the article are gonna take that much less than Chillz would would they, and if Chillz is a more sought after player why not keep him?
Coach
July 9th, 2010
12:51 am
Michael what do you think it would take to get an elite PG like Chris Paul?
Josh?
Marvin and Bibby?
These guys plus one or two first round picks?
I wish Sund would tell us he is looking at some players or something. I mean starting the season like this would suck right now. Miami and Orlando are in our division. We see them more than any other teams and the road to the playoffs is through there. Bulls are better, so are the Knicks, so is Miami again, so are the Bucks, the Celtics just added Jermaine O”neal. OMG. Somethings gotta give!