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
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
9:25 am
drmaryb ,
Haters come in all flavors. And so do some bloggers….it’s all good, homegirl.
coach smith
July 9th, 2010
9:25 am
Bibby and Marvin to San Antonio for PARKER, then sign SHAQ
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
9:26 am
Najeh ,
I see you’re still hanging onto the idea of getting CP3. I hear you, but I don’t know if Sund does.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
9:28 am
I think our chances of adding Shaq got better. Or did they get worse somehow? He still might like Dallas better as an option. I seriously doubt he would go to Miami, but then….he may think a ring is all but won there, and they need about 8 guys anyway. But could he deal with a massive paycut?
Somebody in Minnesota is about to get shipped out. It won’t be Kevin Love. It could be Beasley, and it’s most likely Al Jefferson if they can get close to what they want in return. You never really know with David Kahn. I mean, the man signed Darko “I’m a bust” Milicic for $20 million. Wow.
ASHCAN.
July 9th, 2010
9:28 am
Jeje,with the team that miami have now i wouldn’t think it will be a championship in atlanta for some time.Johnson is all about the money,he could have took less money to sign a good player from a trade or free angency but he didn’t and that tells me he does not care if the hawks win or not.
PMC
July 9th, 2010
9:31 am
Whether it’s a good contract long term or not Atlanta retained their best player. It’s good for us that he’s still here because they will win more games. They offered the max because they had to have him and by offering the max they guarenteed they would retain thier best employee. It’s the right way to do it really. To gamble on it and lose Joe would have significantly devalued the franchise. They made the right move for the Hawks here… would just be nice if they could find a way to get CP3 in here to play next to him.
PMC
July 9th, 2010
9:33 am
They aren’t going to out do Dwight inside either with anyone they get so somekind of center who can move and play a little D one on one off the bench would be a decent move, but they have to play better defense on the perimeter and solid one on one in general and they have to as mentioned in MC’s blog get Joe some rest during the game and over the course of the year.
We have a good solid team in Atlanta. One to be proud of.
i_am_soulstar
July 9th, 2010
9:35 am
The lack of movement from the Hawks is driving me crazy. Get it together Rick Sund, at least for publicity’s sake. Somebody tell me what the hell is going on with Childress.
And even if Joe thinks the Hawks can win as currently constructed, it still doesn’t hurt to upgrade where you can.
And I have high hopes for Teague as well, but are we putting all our eggs in his basket?
Outside of being stacked at shooting guard (and even moreso if Sergiy Gladyr joinis the roster), we have no bench.
Please don’t wait to see who’s left at the end of July and sign a bunch of vet minimum guys.
i_am_soulstar
July 9th, 2010
9:39 am
The Heat are uber-talented, but absolutely crazy if they think they’re going to win it all without being above average at the most important positions on the court; the point guard and the center.
ASG = trash
July 9th, 2010
9:41 am
So not only have we not gained ground on Boston or Orlando but we are also getting passed by Miami and Chicago. Oh well, at least Cleveland has fallen behind us!
The Atlanta Spirit is garbage.
Native Son
July 9th, 2010
9:44 am
My dear fellow blogger, & M.C.; Atlanta is still in my opinion the most athletic team in the east. Meaning they hypothetically can overcome any team with quickness, & agility. I applaud Joe for sticking to his guns. Can’t do anything but respect that. I just hope the Hawks get rid of all the excess baggage they’re holding. No need to mention, everyone knows who they are.The hype over Me-ami is just that. The name certainly fits this team now, since that’s what it means( my – friend). When Wade vowed at the end of last season that ” it would be the last time he got beat in the 1st rd ‘ this menage’ au trois was already in motion. It was kinda’ like he said, I’m going home and get my big brother. We all know he’s a whiner, and a cry baby. ,while Bosh is a You Tube Boob, and he did’nt even consider the Atl., so he knew he was going to Me-ami. And lastly, it was almost like James was trying to make the fans in Cleveland angry, to get some ammuntion for leaving, cause he flat out quit on them. He also knew he was headed to Me-ami. That being said, If, and it may be a big if, but ifthe hawks can make the right moves now, they can still compete. I don’t worry so much about Miami as I do Orlando (D. Howard), they can cause some problems, but 3 AM-EGOS = 3 disappointments. – I am very proud to say that I’m not a fan of either of these guys, never have been, and never will be. Hawks til the end. Now JJ, go help Drew get some guys you can play with.
Someone please investigate how Miami is going to skirt salary cap limitations
July 9th, 2010
9:44 am
soulstar,
Boston wasn’t above average at point and center 3 years ago when they won (Rondo wasn’t what he is now) and LA hasn’t been above average at either position the past 2 years.
But I agree that they need to be more than league minimum at those 2 positions. Not sure how they’re going to pull that off.
ryan
July 9th, 2010
9:44 am
From what i hearing Atlanta heavily pushing for Shaq NBA tv was reporting that the Hawks have offered a 2 year 5.5 mill deal.
Joey
July 9th, 2010
9:46 am
I posted this on MB’s site already, but for the guys wanting Chris Paul, this is why it won’t happen:
Not Carmelo, but Chris Paul will be there soon. Bill Simons (ESPN) has been writing about this since he picked up on the rumor, that during their time on the 08 Olympic team, LBJ, Bosh, Wade and Paul made a pact to play together on the same team. The first three in ‘10, and Paul in ‘12 or before. Stay tuned.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
9:50 am
i_am_soulstar ,
I’m with ya, bruh. What bugs the devil out of me is that if we don’t do something with Childress in a S&T, he signs a contract, we don’t match, and then he’s gone.
This is a guy that we picked at #6 in the draft. He’s not a bust, either. That’s damn awful asset managment. If you ask me, we need to actively try and push other teams into a deal for him. He has interest around the league. Get with the guy and pretend to be his friend, finding a new team to usher him back into the NBA with. Bottom line: get something out of this. Something decent. If he wants to go to Washington, aim at somebody on their roster who can help us, either on the court, or in another trade deal.
Chris "the fraud" Bosh
July 9th, 2010
9:53 am
I haven’t played defense my entire career but I like to think of myself as a superstar!
northcyde
July 9th, 2010
9:53 am
Offering Shaq 5.5 mill for 2 years is NOT pushing heavily. LOL . . no way Shaq is playing here for that amount of money. That’s not even a serious offer for a guy who would instantly become the 2nd best center on our team behind Horford.
That dude made 20 million last year. So he’s going to play in ATL this year for 2.25 million? Come on now.
It’ll take the full MLE at the minimum to get Shaq here.
Mista Gamer
July 9th, 2010
9:56 am
MC,
The more I thought about this interview the madder I get.
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.”
You should have taken the guy to task. This guy just became the highest paid free agent this summer and you let him get away with this answer? He should feel pressure! He should have some sort of fire in his belly! This guy says keep playing “his game”. The same game that has been non existent in every post season 3 years running?
No, we just made you the highest paid free agent (above Lebron, Wade, Bosh), we don’t need you to play your game. We need you to play Lebron’s game, Wade’s game, Kobe’s game. We need you to be an assassin. We need you to play like those that elevate their game in the post season. WE DON’T NEED YOU TO PLAY “YOUR” GAME you walking zombie. We need you to grow a pair. We need you to take your 6′8 frame and go to the hole and stop with those soft running floaters in the lane.
My gosh, you get paid all that money and not once did you mention winning a championship in that whole interview. That’s what we got folks. A soft spoken guy, whose game is soft, whose attitude is soft, just sitting on a deal that does more to hamper the teams ability financial to get better in the foreseable future. Meanwhile he never even utters the words “Championship”. I’m sorry ASG, but you just spent $124M on this???
MC, how could you let him get away with those answers???
Joe Johnson, you're a joke
July 9th, 2010
9:59 am
Mista Gamer,
You’re spot on. This is sad.
ryan
July 9th, 2010
10:00 am
northcyde Shaq is not going no more than 5 mill maybe some stupid team will pay him more but any team that is contender is only going to pay him mid level exception.
Astro Joe
July 9th, 2010
10:04 am
I don’t think that The Dreamgirls will want Shaq… his personality is too big. They will recruit guys who will quietly play their role while they attempt to share the spotlight. I could see a return of guys like Magloire, Haslem and Joel Anthony to the Heat to provide the dirty work. Maybe even a Kurt Thomas type enforcer.
While Gilbert spoke from the heart of a true fan, it is hard to believe that was the right move from an owner. I don’t think that players are likely to find the idea of an owner throwing a franchise’s single best player under the bus like that. “If he would do that to LeBron, imagine what he may say about me”, could well be the thought of prospective players. Gilbert would have been better served expressing disappointment and allowing the local (and in some cases national) media to rep the Cleveland fans. The most absurd thing of all is that Gilbert offered this so-called quitter a max deal for 6 years. WTF?
Lastly, Joe is Joe. He doesn’t feel the need to answer media criticism of his new contract and he didn’t feel the need to address criticism of the fans during the Orlando series. Ultimately, he believes that the team’s performance is shaped by internal influences and not external factors. He seems to espouse a theory that they control their own destiny. He’s offering no excuses, not asking for better players, higher spending from the ASG or a more experienced coach. He emphatically stated that he believes in his teammates (current) and his new head coach’s offensive plan. Is any of that so awful to hear on the heels of last night’s egomaniac television special?
And one last point, aren’t LeBron, Wade and Bosh likely taking around $1M per season less to form The Dreamgirls? Between ‘08-’15, they will likely earn upwards of $130M (not including endorsements). They left like $5M on the table… I think they can survive.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
10:04 am
I’d give Shaq the full MLE. Why not? Got a better idea?
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
10:05 am
Astro Joe ,
Couldn’t have said it any better than that…on all points….
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
10:08 am
For those who care (even just a little bit), Larry Drew’s coaching staff announcement:
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=16745
coach smith
July 9th, 2010
10:11 am
Joey,
Miami has 4 or 5 total players on their roster, they must get to the minimum of 13! there is NO WAY they can add Chris Paul in Miami.
the Hawks’ answer is BIBBY and MARVIN (and maybe a pick next year) for TONY PARKER and then Sign SHAQ
That is a roster of
JOE JOHNSON
TONY PARKER
JOSH SMITH
AL HORFORD
SHAQ O’NEAL
JAMAL CRAWFORD
JORDAN CRAWFORD
MO EVANS
ZAZA
JORDAN CRAWFORD
JEFF TEAGUE
That is a roster that can compete!
Mike is back
July 9th, 2010
10:13 am
MC, first off it was out of character when JJ made those comment. He has been a consonant professional ever since the day he put on a Hawks uniform. I think JJ is right to move on…no what how much he apologizes…some people will never forgive me. I agree with Big Ray people just need to move on. Athletes are human beings too.
On the Lebron decision…now that I had time to think about it…I think it is the best thing to happen for teams in the EC. Everyone will have to pick-up their play in the East. There is no more free rides to the playoff in the EC. The EC will be premier conference in the NBA.
If the Hawks can sign Shaq…they would instantly become part of the new world order in the East. The celebs in the ATL would come out in droves to Phillips.
jeff
July 9th, 2010
10:14 am
The actual offer for Shaq was 2 years at 5.5 mil.per year which is
11 mil. total.
And we don’t need chills. We need another player.
Gamer
July 9th, 2010
10:15 am
No NBA’s sane person can really argue against Joe Johnson as a top free agent. He has been a top scorer in the league since Phoenix Suns.
I think more than anything NBA watchers want to see his performance enhance during crunch time, consistently. Especially, in the post-season.
I’m still a little concern with him receiving the max deal because Al Horford and J. Smith will be ready for extension contracts. Will the money be available?
I’ll say the Hawks are a solid center and a savvy point guard away from challenging for NBA trophy.
Astro Joe
July 9th, 2010
10:21 am
So the “anti-Woody” chose 3 of 4 staff members previously hired by Woody? And the “rejection of Woody’s program” (to paraphrase MC) was manifested by 4 of 5 members of the coaching staff being former Woody hires?
And we’re worried about Joe?
Joe Johnson
July 9th, 2010
10:24 am
My prime will extend well into my thirties! You people who say differently based on recent player performances of the same age don’t know what you’re talking about! I take supplements and won’t drop off in a year or two!
ryan
July 9th, 2010
10:25 am
What about Avery Johnson he has egg on his face doesn’t he turning the Hawks for the Nets and now he is biggest looser in this no LeBron no Boozer no Amare no Joe.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
10:25 am
I knew THAT was coming…..
ILL-logical
July 9th, 2010
10:27 am
For all of the apoplectic comments surrounding the resigning of Joe, there is an issue that is being overlooked,especially with all of the hype about LaGone James: teams pay players based upon what they believe they can earnfrom them.
In simple terms, the business model is to market the talent/skills/ personality of the players in a manner as to generate a revenue stream that produces a profit.
And that is where the challenge continues to be for the ASG. They have not educated the public or their fan base as to the talent/skills/personality of their players in a manner that induces them to want to invest their entertainment dollars in them on a regular and continuous manner.
Miami Thrice is a prima facia case. Ticket and merchandise sales are going to cover a significant portion of the intial capital outlays. add in increased media rates for advertisment and you begin to see a reevenue stream for the owners that provides a healthy return on investment.and the the 3 a-me-egos are going to profit as well from the marketing campaign.
The lesson to be learned here is that the ASG needs to step up their marketing efforts in order to break into the black. And they need to do it sooner than later.
i_am_soulstar
July 9th, 2010
10:27 am
Someone please investigate how Miami is going to skirt salary cap limitations
July 9th, 2010
9:44 am
You’re right, let me rephrase that. Boston had a point guard and center that could defend the above average point guards and centers in the playoffs.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
10:28 am
Astro Joe ,
Let’s say you work with three guys, all for the same boss. Then one day, the boss is fired and you now have that boss’s job. If you respected the job done by the three guys you were previously working with, and thought they did a good job, would you fire them and go get three guys you don’t know, and haven’t worked with just for the sake of changing the atmosphere?
Or would you give those guys a chance to keep doing the job they’ve BEEN doing, if you felt they were doing a good job already?
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
10:29 am
Last I heard, the head coach was given the prerogative to hire and arrange his own assistants. Taking on a new lead assistant has to be a plus for those who are interested in wholesale change more than anything else….
Ken Strickland
July 9th, 2010
10:31 am
JJ gave all of the correct answers to those questions, as well as giving correct responses to questions that weren’t asked.
1-the fact he chose to resign and stay with the Hawks, when he could have gotten the same contract and gone to another team in a sign and trade, reveals the confidence he has in LDrew and the talent on this team.
2-he also demonstrated his willingness to put bury his obvious heat of the moment verbal jab at the fans, which some of our more sensitive and less emotionally evolved fans seem incapable of doing.
JJ made several statements that really gave me insight into certain problems with Woodson that obviously eroded team spirit and respect, and factored into his decision whether to resign. He said, “I RESPECT HIS OPINION ON ANYTHING. HE’S OUR HEAD COACH NOW. HE IS DEFINITELY GOING TO MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.” TRANSLATION: That wasn’t the case with Woodson.
He also said, “HE WANTS ME DOING A LOT MORE CATCHING AND SHOOTING. NOT CREATING SO MUCH UNTIL LATE IN THE GM, SO I’M NOT SO WORN DOWN.” TRANSLATION: We, I, had issues with Woodson’s reliance on ISO’s as the primary half court OFF throughout the gm. And our poor 4th quarter production was due primarily to him overplaying the starters and not making an effort to keep us fresh for those 4th quarters runs.
Finally, he said: “HONESTLY, I THINK WE HAVE THE TEAM NOW WE CAN WIN WITH. THAT’S NO QUESTION.” “I THINK WITH THE TEAM WE HAVE RIGHT NOW WE CAN DO IT.” TRANSLATION: We can take it to the next level with the same 8 core players we have under contract, now that we have a HC that has the ability to make the right decisions, that we respect, and who actually has an actual OFF/DEF system and philosophy.
In JJ’s eyes, new head coach LDrew is the biggest improvement the Hawks could have possibly made. Anything else will just be icing on the cake, AND I AGREE WHOLE HEARTEDLY!!!!!
drmaryb
July 9th, 2010
10:33 am
Mike is Back
And, I for one am Glad!
And, You Sir, ARE an ICONIC blogger! (Sorry for the omission!)
I may NOT agree with everyone on that List, however YOU guys are impactful, thoughtful and
certainly a FORCE of Logic and Character when it comes to blogging!
As is:
Marcus
Lewis
Ryan
The Heat certainly mad a South Beach Splash! IF they add Mike Miller, then they are definitely on their way.
LeBron and Wade, like Josh are great weak side defenders, but who will defend the perimeter and more importantly – The Paint!
Pat Riley is good, however, he does NOT play basketball anymore.
northcyde
July 9th, 2010
10:41 am
People just don’t understand the deal with Miami. You have 3 legit #1 scoring options on that squad. Honestly, all they’d have to do is sign one shooter ( Miller ), and stock the rest of the team with defensive specialist types ( Chalmers, Varnado, maybe a free agent PF or C who can defend ), and Miami will be more than OK.
When Minnesota went to the Western Conference Finals back in 2004, their Big 3 were KG, Cassell, and Spreewell. The supporting cast were role players.
- Trenton Hassell ( defensive perimeter specialist )
- Ervin “not Magic” Johnson ( defensive center )
- Mark Madsen ( scrappy PF )
- Fred Hoiberg ( shooter )
- Darrick Martin ( spot minute PG )
- Michael Olowokandi ( scrub C )
They also had Wally Sczcerbiak and Troy Hudson, two of their better offensive players . . . but those 2 were hurt for the vast majority of the year, and while Wally was available for the playoffs, Troy didn’t even play.
And while some of those fringe players had fairly large contracts, they were, for the most part, scrub type talent.
But the T-Wolves that year won 58 games and was really a Sam Cassell injury from beating the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
Chris Broussard of ESPN is bringing up some names that may play for the minimum, in order to team with the Triplets
- Kwame Brown
- Brian Skinner
- Brad Miller
- Jannero Pargo
- my suggestion ( Flip Murray )
I mean, there are a number of decent NBA journeymen who will be more than willing to join this team. And if 2 of their 3 second round draft pics turn out to be anything
- Dexter Pittman ( C )
- Jarvais Varnado ( PF )
- De’Sean Butler ( SF . . who tore his ACL in the Final 4 )
that Heat team is going to be a very tough team to beat.
Here is the List of Free Agents available.
Look at the names on that list that were making the minimum last year. Some of those same players could end up in South Beach.
All minimum salary team from last year:
PG – Allen Iverson
G – Jerry Stackhouse
F – Tim Thomas
PF – Joe Smith
C – Ben Wallace
Keep believe that the Heat can’t add vets or field a team.
feudfinder
July 9th, 2010
10:43 am
L.James, he who fights and runs away, leave the fight for another day! And when the fight comes, Chris Bosh will be the first to be shipped out. I smell A BIG-TIME A POWER STRUGGLE COMING TO MIAMI. STAY TUNED.
northcyde
July 9th, 2010
10:44 am
believing
Astro Joe
July 9th, 2010
10:46 am
Ray, I’m not criticizing the hire as much as I’m saying that they deviated from “the rejection of Woody’s program”. I’m in no position to evaluate an assistant coach. I think this is yet another one of those passive-aggressive things that frustrate me about the ASG and Hawks management.
i_am_soulstar
July 9th, 2010
10:47 am
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
9:50 am
i_am_soulstar ,
I’m with ya, bruh. What bugs the devil out of me is that if we don’t do something with Childress in a S&T, he signs a contract, we don’t match, and then he’s gone.
This is a guy that we picked at #6 in the draft. He’s not a bust, either. That’s damn awful asset managment. If you ask me, we need to actively try and push other teams into a deal for him. He has interest around the league. Get with the guy and pretend to be his friend, finding a new team to usher him back into the NBA with. Bottom line: get something out of this. Something decent. If he wants to go to Washington, aim at somebody on their roster who can help us, either on the court, or in another trade deal.
Yeah man, free agency is not the time for a slow and steady pace, ’cause while they’re taking their sweet time, all the quality guys are getting snatched up. Or maybe they’re working something behind the scenes that we don’t know about. But either way, it wouldn’t hurt to leak something to the public.
GT Alum
July 9th, 2010
10:53 am
The fact that he didn’t apologize says to me he’s not a man, just an immature little boy. You don’t apologize because you expect people to forgive you. You apologize because it’s the right thing to do. If people don’t forgive you, then it’s on them, but, if you’re not man enough to ever apologize, then it stays on you.
Melvin
July 9th, 2010
10:54 am
I have one name for all the Cavs fans. Harrison Barnes… Remember the name….
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
11:03 am
The thing that surprises me about Boston signing JO is the Celtics are old and have dealt with injuries in the past (plus Perkins will be out for a while). And what do they do?
They go out and sign JO, who is old, and dealt with injuries. Age and Injuries are what (I think) will be Boston’s downfall this year.
Orlando still needs a traditional PF (or just give Bass more PT), and Vince is still a choker. I do like Chicago’s squad though, especially if they add Kyle Korver to be their shooter.
Northcyde,
I think the Hawks are waiting on Childress to get an offer from another team. Hopefully once that is resolved, they will either make a trade for a center or make an offer to Shaq.
GT Alum,
Have you apologized for everything that you may have done or said due to the heat of the moment?
lou hudson
July 9th, 2010
11:03 am
Iceman, you are correct! There are items that are necessary to win a championship:
Players, Chemistry, Coaching, Heatlh, and lots of LUCK. There’s no quarantee that all will fall in place for Miami. Orlando has hit its plateu and its window is closing. Boston got older and slower.
Next, JJ is signed for next 6 years and HE is not the Hawks achilles’ heel, so get over it! Again, the Hawks have numerous peices available to trade:
Marvin (7.5M per year very marketable), Bibby(veteran PG who can shoot), Mo Evans(expiring contract 2.5m), J Crawford(Sixth of the Year + expiring contract), and the rights JChill. The Hawks should be able to acquire a decent Center and a solid PG. The Hawks will make some moves have patient and be a true fan.
Go Hawks!
i_am_soulstar
July 9th, 2010
11:08 am
GT Alum,
I think maybe his way of apologizing was saying that it was just frustration. Not to say that it was an adequate apology, but JJ isn’t really a big PR guy, so i wouldn’t expect anything more.
Astro Joe
July 9th, 2010
11:14 am
You apologize when you acknowledge that you have done something wrong. Essentially saying that the presence of the fans will have no impact on the team’s play doesn’t seem that far-fetched to me. The Hawks have to play 41 games away from their fan base. They likely play another 20 games at home with a less-than-rabid in-house crowd (Tuesday evening games against the Pacers aren’t exactly a party atmosphere). Of all the players who have a workmanlike approach to the game, Joe clearly is the guy who doesn’t thrive on the fuel of the fans. His stats are better on the road than at home… he comes to do a job not to be cheered. I’d much rather have self-motivated players than guys who need to be lifted by the roar of the crowd. If a player doesn’t need me to do their job, that is fine with me. Just do the f’ing job.
PMC
July 9th, 2010
11:18 am
GT, he did apologise. He said it was a heat of the moment comment and he didn’t really mean it. He was frustrated.