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
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
406 comments Add your comment
Rondo
July 9th, 2010
3:58 pm
Tyger how can a no.3 seed barely make the playoffs
rusty
July 9th, 2010
3:59 pm
well jj didnt prove himself elite last year,who really thinks he will this year oh i guess management thought so. he is a selfish person as a teamate &bas a human being
Rondo
July 9th, 2010
4:01 pm
People think Lebron,Wade,and Bosh are taking pay-cuts and making big sacrifices.But guess what in Florida no state tax and they will see almost all the money they will get.Smart move Riley.
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
4:02 pm
Damn, Tyger , you just got beat down by Rondo , LOL…
Big Ray
July 9th, 2010
4:04 pm
For the Joe haters, you might want to get over it or change teams.
Meanwhile, we need to grab Shaq before Mark Cuban talks him into downtown Dallas…
rusty
July 9th, 2010
4:05 pm
why the hell did lebron have to go & jj stays for max just our darn luck
Najeh Davenpoop
July 9th, 2010
4:14 pm
“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.”
Exactly — one injury derailed their quest for a title because they had no depth. With the Unholy Trinity set to average 40 minutes a game, you think they will all hold up through the whole season and the playoffs? I wouldn’t bet on it.
Down the line, I think they will put enough pieces around them to win (or at least contend for) a title, but I don’t see it happening this year.
Najeh Davenpoop
July 9th, 2010
4:18 pm
Miami cuts their losses with their bust #2 overall pick small forward after two years, unloading him for cap space, while the Hawks keep their bust #2 overall pick small forward around and pay him $7.5 million a year.
Just saying, if the Hawks had made a similar move last year with Marvin, they might have been in real position to add another major piece to this team this offseason. There is something to be said for continuity and building through the draft, but not to the extent that you start overvaluing your own assets.
drmaryb
July 9th, 2010
4:19 pm
Blu-Ray
(Sharper Image)
That shenanigan of a show last night was – Rich. Certainly NOT an hour special worthy.
I was actually out shopping and didn’t even bother top be entertained by it at all.
I guess Bron going to Miami was a no brainer and if I were him?
I would have done the same.
Here’s my point: there is a right way and a wrong to do things. And, burning
an unnecessary bridge is foolish – you never know if you ever need to cross that bridge in the future.
But hey, if you can swing like Tarzan? I guess you don’t need bridges.
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
4:23 pm
Melvin,
I dont think The mid-level will be enough for haslem and barnes. It might be enough for haslem and a Guy like Damien Wilkins though.
If we can get haslem with the MLE, get Barnes for the BAE, and trade for a center, we Would be in business.
Rondo
July 9th, 2010
4:23 pm
The Miami Heat and the 3 amigos will be batteling the Hawks for the no.3 spot for the playoffs.
Grandad
July 9th, 2010
4:26 pm
4:06 *P.M. – ‘WingNut’ again
tyger:
Surely you jest.
3 of the best 4.
D.Wade maybe.
LBJ not anymore = quitter.
-&-
Bosh, c’mon, = 4th best [maybe 5th best on Hawks]
Good Read: (nothing to do with above…..^…..necessarily)
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-lebrondecision070910
Grandad
July 9th, 2010
4:28 pm
tyger
Opine Only.
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
4:30 pm
But Najeh, the hawks like their “core”.
Actually, I’m tired of hearing how the hawks like their core. They even like their coaching core (since there will only be one new coaching addition).
I’m not a fan of woody, but rick is making it out like woody was the only problem. Drew is not a miracle worker, so the hawks must “examine their core”, as ray put it.
i_am_soulstar
July 9th, 2010
4:31 pm
Najeh,
Agreed. Sometimes you just gotta know when to cut your losses.
Ken Strickland
July 9th, 2010
4:41 pm
ATL TRANSPLANT FROM NY-I’d much rather live in a city like Atlanta, where there’s some room, than live like sardines in NY City. Who in his right mind would want to live so crammed up in run down apartment buildings that when one tenant farts, the neighbors can smell it. By the time your beloved Knicks have a winning season, Spike Lee will be watching their gms from a nursing home.
TYGER-When you finish 3rd in the East, you had to beat up on teams other than the sub 500 teams. Can you explain how all of the other Eastern conference teams, that played the same sub 500 teams we played, ended up finishing below them?
And MBradley was right when he said the Hawks are a better team than the Heat. How in the hell can anyone believe a team with only 5 players under contract at this point, with one player not having a single seasonal stat, is better than the Hawks?
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
4:49 pm
5 years $40 mil for tyrus thomas? Wow
rainmaker
July 9th, 2010
4:50 pm
Mr. Know Sports Better Than All = ken strickland
side-bar
July 9th, 2010
4:54 pm
drmaryb Blu-Ray
Gman
July 9th, 2010
4:55 pm
Gilbert is INSANE! No high-caliber frre agent will come to Cleveland for the next 6 years or more. They’ll all be thinking what will Gilbert do if I leave. Cleveland is done…
Rondo
July 9th, 2010
5:03 pm
Lebron will live to regret this move because he really just went to a team with truly one other great player.His championships won’t come until 3 or 4 years down the road in reality.Bosh isn’t really a superstar a good side-piece but no star.Lebron really has painted his self in the same corner but only this time it is going to be more frustrating.You should have went to New York and waited on Melo next year or went to Chicago and have been an instant Beast in the East.I still like the Celtics,Lakers,Bulls,and Hawks roster over the Heat even if they can land a cp3 or Mike Miller.They still wouldn’t have no depth or role players. Just look whats left in free agency…hardly nothing.Lebron you have just been trapped you are a sucker son.You just like a man that has been trapped by a woman that is beautiful with a lot of baggage.You just made a commitment son that you can’t jump out of YOU BIG DUMMY!Now you guys have high expectations and have a championship check that can’t be cashed no time soon.You going to hate this union LBJ because its payoff is still a few years up the road.
ATLByrdsFan
July 9th, 2010
5:13 pm
WE NEED SHAQ!!! …in order to be relevant in not only the East but in our division too!
I MUS WRITE
July 9th, 2010
5:43 pm
Im really not expecting any more FA moves until mid August. Its just the way we do bussiness,wait until the good FA’s are signed and then pick from the scraps.
I would like to see management bring in these players using Chillz rights and any of our players not named Smoove,Joe,Jamal,Al,Jeff
Shaq/Ryan Hollins/ Matt Barnes/ PG -Farmar/Livingston- These are all moves we could easily make if the ASG dont sit on their hands until August.
Good Bye- JCollins,Joe Smith,Possibly Bibby,Evans,Marvin via trade
What exactly did joe smith and chesseburger do to help last year. These were our coveted bigs last summer -what a waste of time and press.
Teague/Livingston,Bibby
JJ/Jamal/JC 2.0
Marvin/Barnes
Josh/Hollins
Horford/Shaq/RMorris
I MUS WRITE
July 9th, 2010
5:46 pm
Tyger-I was thinking the same thing Why didnt we get Beasley for next years 2nd.
Rod from College Park
July 9th, 2010
5:56 pm
Najeh Davenpoop,
“Miami cuts their losses with their bust #2 overall pick small forward after two years, unloading him for cap space, while the Hawks keep their bust #2 overall pick small forward around and pay him $7.5 million a year.”
Couldn’t agree more. Even with all of Beasley’s problems, I think he has much more of an upside that Marvin does.
darrell starks
July 9th, 2010
6:02 pm
For any one 2 think atlanta will beat the heat are saddly mistaking, me and MC can starte with lebron, wade, and bosh and beat the hawks lol.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
July 9th, 2010
6:05 pm
The hawks have 2 bring in another star player 2 even have a chance next season.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
July 9th, 2010
6:07 pm
The heat might win atleast 68 games next year.
68 and 14.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
July 9th, 2010
6:09 pm
HORFORD, MARVIN, TEAGUE FOR PAUL.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
July 9th, 2010
6:14 pm
ATLANTA HAWKS
STARTER PAUL, JOE, CHILL, JOSH, SHAQ
BENCH JAMAL, CRAWFORD, MOE, ZAZA, MORRIS
RESERVE BIBBY, JOE SMITH
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
JeJe
July 9th, 2010
6:17 pm
Cleveland could’ve just traded Hickson for Amare. They messed this up. LBJ is gonna destroy his brand and be looked at as the guy who couldn’t win it with his own team, but Cleveland is so damn protective of Hickson who no one would know anything about if he didn’t have LBJ wiping his @$$
Sawyer
July 9th, 2010
6:20 pm
Tiago Splitter just signed with the Spurs. Terms were not announced, but im sure it took most of thier MLE money. Does this leave the ATL as Shaq’s best option?
cp
July 9th, 2010
6:26 pm
Najeh great point about Marvin. Beasley in his second season put up better numbers than Marvins best year. Beasley is considered a bust while Marvin got a new contract. It is what it is.
welikebaseball2
July 9th, 2010
6:29 pm
“Honestly, I think we have the team now we can win with.” Wow. Guess it depends on how you define winning. Win a CHAMPIONSHIP w/ the current squad? LOL…hardly. Win 50 REGULAR SEASON games & 1 playoff series (max) year after year after year after year w/ the current squad? Of course. No argument there.
JeJe
July 9th, 2010
6:31 pm
MAKE A DAMN TRADE.
GET CHRIS PAUL IN A UNIFORM.
OFFER SMOOVE AND MARVIN FOR MELO
DO SOMETHING. THE GUY HASNT EVEN SIGNED AN EXTENSION YET. OBVIOUSLY HE IS WAITING IT OUT
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
6:38 pm
I think Rick Sund overpaid for Marvin last year (did not let the market set his price, and maybe could have let him play on the one year deal going into this offseason, although that would have been very risky).
But to be fair to Marvin, Beasley was the #2 option in Miami when he put up those numbers. Marvin was what? Option #4?
We dont know how Marvin would do as a #2 option, but I hope we’ll never find out…
Bird
July 9th, 2010
6:41 pm
May be one day someone can ask him about how he feels about Lebron joining forces with a division rival in the Miami Heat, I would love to hear his answer on that!
Epidemik Coalition » Blog Archive » Joe Johnson Explains Himself
July 9th, 2010
6:52 pm
[...] an interview yesterday with AJC’s Michael Cunningham, Joe explained himself saying, “It was just in the heat of the moment. We had a tough battle [...]
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
6:54 pm
Bulls make another strong move, signing Kyle Korver to a 3 year $15 mil deal. I really like what Chicago has done so far.
PG – Rose
SG- Korver
SF – Deng
PF – Boozer
Center – Noah
Bench – Gibson, and whoever else they can sign for the bench. Solid starting 5. Their give will the Hawks starting 5 a run for the money I think.
terrell
July 9th, 2010
6:56 pm
Joe can hold his own with Wade, Smoove can hold his own with Bosh, now sign Matt Barnes to be the Lebron stopper, and we’ll be just fine.
terrell
July 9th, 2010
6:57 pm
Obrien, that Bulls lineup doesn’t scare me at all. Seriously.
terrell
July 9th, 2010
7:01 pm
Calm down JeJe. Why are you still trying to trade Josh Smith? Is Melo really worth a starter(Josh), and a solid bench player(Marvin)? And remember, Melo wouldn’t know what defense was if it slapped him in the face.
terrell
July 9th, 2010
7:03 pm
And JeJe, dont forget, scoring wasnt the problem last year. It was stopping the other team from scoring. Well, until the 4th qtr anyway. But we’ll save that for another day.
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
7:12 pm
terrell,
I’m not scared of the Bulls lineup either. But the only clear advantage we have over them is JJ over Korver. However, big scheme of things, its still early, and the game is not played on paper.
Which is why I am eagerly anticipating the moves Sund will make this offseason.
O'Brien
July 9th, 2010
7:14 pm
Spurs have resigned Matt Bonner, and have reached a deal with Tiago Splitter. So you can cross them off Shaq’s list.
side-bar
July 9th, 2010
7:22 pm
if dmaryb blu ray who’s next/
SteveW
July 9th, 2010
7:34 pm
The Heat will win 45-50 games next yr. – then D Wade breaks down very quickly after that. His game is not conducive to longevity in the NBA. Hall of Fame type though – spectacular. I don’t think the trio ever brings a title to Miami. Will be fun to watch, and will help the NBA.
LeBron went with no state income tax – end of story. Will still bring home more than NY possibly.
East way improved – Chicago a 50 win team now. Bucks a 48-50 win team. Cavs crash of course – but see the Hawks at 46-36 next yr. – 6th seed, but if they can get a big and stay healthy, maybe much better in the playoffs.
If Marvin can stay healthy, he continues to become a solid NBA player. If not, would guess he’s gone.
Hawks continue to improve – Josh, Horford and hopefully Marvin. JJ about the same, Crawford slightly down, Teague way up – wish ZaZa would improve, but I doubt it. Maybe RandMo develops if we re-sign him.
We lose Jamal and Mo Evans next yr.to Free Agency, to afford Horford’s big, new contract
Conclusion – if we stay healthy, get a good big, maybe sign and keep a Livingston or a Alston – Hawks defintely win some 2nd round games – another step in the right direction.
ROFLMBO!
July 9th, 2010
8:35 pm
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2010/07/mo_williams_reacts_on_twitter.html
P.S Trade Bibby & Mo Evans. NO ONE ELSE!
ROFLMBO!
July 9th, 2010
8:38 pm
Whooo! Mo Williams Better be ready to bend over next season hah! All that swag is no more! No more stupid dancing either! I’m gonna enjoy every beatdown at the hands of my Hawks hehehe!!!!
The Truth
July 9th, 2010
8:50 pm
To All You Real Marvin Haters:
If you really want Marvin to be traded, the worst thing you can do is to continue to criticize his game. You should know by now that because we were the 3rd seed team in the east, most sports pundits read these blogs. If you constantly bash Marvin, you maybe discouraging any likely suitors.