JJ hopes Phoenix DOES NOT match Hawks offer

According to John Gambadoro, Joe Johnson has told people close to him that he wants to part ways with the Phoenix Suns and play for the Atlanta Hawks .

Johnson is convinced that he cannot be an All-Star playing behind Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash and that he if goes to Atlanta he can be the focal point of a young team on the rise.

Johnson is expected to sign a five-year, $70 million dollar offer sheet from Atlanta next week and hopes that the Suns don't match. That way he could team with Josh Smith, Josh Childress and Marvin Williams on a team that would feature four good young players under the age of 24. And being from the South, he would be playing closer to home. Johnson is apparently furious that the Suns did not take care of his contract status last year, opting instead to sign Quentin Richardson and then offering him less than a maximum deal this month.

-RealGM

The Hawks are gonna have a boatload of salaries in a few years that they will not be able to handle.

They won't make the playoffs this year, they probably will next year, but they won't be good enough to get very far. Then, they won't be able to offer Marvin Williams the contract he will want, they won't be able to pay Josh Smith, they won't be able to afford almost anyone anymore, and they will be back to step one with Joe Johnson as the number 1 guy on a really bad team again.

That was unexpected. I thought Joe was classier than that, and who the hell would want to play for the Hawks anyway?

who the hell would want to play for the Hawks anyway?

For 20 million? I would.

if this is the case, the suns should do a sign-trade, and at least get josh childress out of the deal. This way they don't have pay JJ that huge salary and still get a decent player out it.

What classy has to do with wanting to play elsewhere its his career not yours.

if this is the case, the suns should do a sign-trade

The only way to do it is to consider JJ already haaving a 6 year, 70m + deal, since they have to match the offer sheet JJ signed for Atlanta. Nobody in the Hawks' roster makes that much money so that the trade will work. And the Hawks are not idiots to try and obtain JJ in that way when they can get him as a FA. Not to mention the Suns would not be able to sign-and-trade him to many teams with that new huge contract of his...

i would hope the same, look at the money hes getting paid

What classy has to do with wanting to play elsewhere its his career not yours.

Very well said.

Now if people held Marbury to the same standard

What classy has to do with wanting to play elsewhere its his career not yours.

And if Cleveland doesn't make the playoff this coming up season, Lebron will be leaving too... can I get a hell yeah?

What classy has to do with wanting to play elsewhere its his career not yours.

And if Cleveland doesn't make the playoff this coming up season, Lebron will be leaving too... can I get a hell yeah?

hell yeah

Besides, I see a lot of potential in JJ. And I don't think he will ever reach his potential if he stays around Nash, Stoudemire, Marion and company and I believe he knows that too. In addition to that, everybody wants to reach the All-Star game in their career and if he stays in the West Conference that's a lot harder to accomplish besides that fact that making the finals in the West is a lot tougher compared to the East conf.

What classy has to do with wanting to play elsewhere its his career not yours.

It depends on the situation, what everyone has said and promised and offered. For example, Carlos Boozer signed with Utah which he is free to do as it is his career. But the way he went about it was somewhat classless.

It's not so bad with JJ, though if that's how he feels he does come off as being a little selfish.

Phoenix get screwed. They trade Q-Rich to make room for Joe to be a star, and now he wants out. tut tut tut.

Hmm.. sounds like the Clippers last year...

Anyways. If you were JJ would you do it?

Personally, If the Suns would match the offer I'd stay because of the money (Which would be same as ATL) and the being a contender part for the next few seasons.... But he wants individual glory.. so be it! I would only move if I was certain I could lead a team to a championship and JJ, I don't see him as that type of player.

Atlanta would have now Josh Childress, Josh Smith, Marvin Williams, Al Harrington, Boris Diaw, Joe Johnson and perhaps Donta Smith on the swingman spot (with Al and Marving Williams being able to become seriously undersized PFs). So they have three potential allstar players who are natural SFs: both Joshes and Marvin. Good job .

Hmm.. sounds like the Clippers last year...

Anyways. If you were JJ would you do it?

Personally, If the Suns would match the offer I'd stay because of the money (Which would be same as ATL) and the being a contender part for the next few seasons.... But he wants individual glory.. so be it! I would only move if I was certain I could lead a team to a championship and JJ, I don't see him as that type of player.

Becuase they went after Kobe? Yeah the simlarities never end.

What classy has to do with wanting to play elsewhere its his career not yours.

Yeah, but like Andrew said, he does come across as a bit selfish. I've followed Phoenix back when Penny was playing alongside Kidd. Joe Johnson pretty much took Penny's spot, and the organization had a lot of confidence in Joe, and gave him room to develop. At the time, he had confidence issues, and Phoenix continued supporting him and believed in him. Now that he has a breakout year, he wants to leave a team that allowed him to grow? Besides, Phoenix is supposedly matching Atlanta's offer, and Phoenix is obviously a better team to play in, and Phoenix wants him. Why leave something like that, really?

it seems to me that the only way atlanta will get johnson is if they do a sign and trade. doing one of these would be a damn bad idea for the hawks as they would have to give up too much just for him(and i dont mean cause phoenix would demand it i mean cause of salaries).

the Suns could have locked him up when they had the chance but took a calculated risk by not locking him up and now they might pay....personally I don't think JJ is a max player, but hey, that's just me....

Johnson is convinced that he cannot be an All-Star playing behind Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash and that he if goes to Atlanta he can be the focal point of a young team on the rise.

From what I see, Johnson want to be an All-Star, leading his team to the playoffs and be the team leader. Obviously, he can do that if he plays for the Hawks.

the Suns could have locked him up when they had the chance but took a calculated risk by not locking him up and now they might pay....personally I don't think JJ is a max player, but hey, that's just me....

Of course he isn't!

If Dalembert is worth 75 mil, and Bonner can ask for more money, then...

damn phoenix is fucked...
we all saw that jj played a big role on the team last year and phoenix even moved out q-rich to make cap space for him and make him a starter but looks like jj is pissed off about how phoenix didn't give him a contract extension last year (by the way if phoenix gave him a contract extension last year they probably could have had him for 6yr/45mil dollar range), i guess the best thing to do now is a sign and trade but not really sure who they can add... btw have a question: when you have a team that is far under the cap (ie atlanta, seattle) and you want to work a sign and trade with them, do the players salaries have to match or can they have a huge margin of difference???... for example (jj w/his 70mil for josh smith) would that work???

if atlanta has enough capspace they can do that