Hawks Johnson won't sign extension

[Wurider05]

My link

Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson said he will not sign a contract extension with the Hawks and will play out the final year of his contract this season.

Johnson will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Hawks extended a four-year, $60-plus million contract offer to Johnson this summer. But Johnson said he decided not to sign the extension after mulling it over during the offseason.

By not signing Johnson will enter a deep free agent crop next summer headlined by reigning MVP LeBron James as well as fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"My sole focus right now is on this team and what we're trying to accomplish this season," Johnson said. "I have some goals set for this season for my team and I have some individual goals set for myself as well. I really feel like this team is ready to take that step to the next level. I also feel like I can be one of the elite players in this league, I feel like I'm right there, so it's going to be an exciting year."

Johnson is in the fifth and final year of a $70 million deal he signed with Phoenix before being traded to the Hawks in a sign-and-trade deal in August 2005.

I say f*** him if he doesn't want to sign. We have a more talented team now than ever and his role will somewhat diminish. He was offered a fair deal for a guy that doesn't even average 20 ppg a game in the playoffs. f*** him!!!

Edited September 29, 2009 by Wurider05

[Buzzard]

My link

Hawks captain and All-Star Joe Johnson said he will not sign a contract extension with the Hawks and will play out the final year of his contract this season.

Johnson will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.

The Hawks extended a four-year, $60-plus million contract offer to Johnson this summer. But Johnson said he decided not to sign the extension after mulling it over during the offseason.

By not signing Johnson will enter a deep free agent crop next summer headlined by reigning MVP LeBron James as well as fellow All-Stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

"My sole focus right now is on this team and what we're trying to accomplish this season," Johnson said. "I have some goals set for this season for my team and I have some individual goals set for myself as well. I really feel like this team is ready to take that step to the next level. I also feel like I can be one of the elite players in this league, I feel like I'm right there, so it's going to be an exciting year."

Johnson is in the fifth and final year of a $70 million deal he signed with Phoenix before being traded to the Hawks in a sign-and-trade deal in August 2005.

I say f*** him if he doesn't want to sign. We have a more talented team now than ever and his role will somewhat diminish. He was offered a fair deal for a guy that doesn't even average 20 ppg a game in the playoffs. f*** him!!!

Dang! He turned down 4 years and 60 million because he "thinks" he can be one of the elite players in the league. I just hope his selfish goal of becoming a elite player for obvious contract reasons does not diminish our team play! If it does, feelings our mutual my friend. Bump him!

I wonder where it is he thinks he can go that will pay him 5 and 80mill. Seems to me this is a huge risk given that he will not be one of the top three free agents next year and chances are pretty good a lot of next years money will be gone after the 1st three signings.

Four years at 60mill seems extremely fair. JJ you just confused the hell out of me.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Buzzard

[Admin]

I don't necessarily think that this is a bad thing, although it will certainly cause plenty of anxiety for us. It should force the team to do whatever they can in order to help us win games and keep Joe around. Of course I wish he would sign the extension but at least he'll be playing for a new contract and not sitting pretty with a new one.

[Buzzard]

I don't necessarily think that this is a bad thing, although it will certainly cause plenty of anxiety for us. It should force the team to do whatever they can in order to help us win games and keep Joe around. Of course I wish he would sign the extension but at least he'll be playing for a new contract and not sitting pretty with a new one.

If Joe wants max money he is gone; Sund has some common sense and no way JJ is worth that. He and his agent are both barking up the wrong tree trying to play hardball with Sund; just ask Chilz agent how that play worked out for them...

[ATLSmith]

Not surprising... I probably would have done the same in his shoes. I mean, he's under no obligation to sign right now.

This will probably work out well for him as I'm sure he'll have a great year now that we have Crawford to provide some relief and to detract from the double-team.

[WraithSentinel]

Well then get lost JJ. I'd say we go after Wade if we are looking to spend max type money. His play has been on the decline. His playoff performances have been terrible for a so called franchise player. Time to look elsewhere.

Edited September 29, 2009 by UltimaDragonReaver

[coachx]

If JJ wants a max deal then he is as good as gone.

The Knicks may pay him max money...................he left a winning situation (Suns) for a losing situation just for max money before................one would think that at the age he is as at now that he would not want to go to another rebuilding team. I do not see any legit contenders offering JJ max money so we will probably still have a shot of resigning him for close to 4 years at $60 mill..............he may be able to up the contract to 5 years and $75 mill if he gets another team involved in the bidding............I could live with that if it was a front loaded deal where in year 5 he is making around $11 mill.

[AHF]

Please recognize people that one of the reasons JJ feels like he can do this is that the Hawks can't look elsewhere except if they get another team to agree to a trade. They can't just go sign a comparable player under the cap. JJ knows this offer will be on the table next summer so this is a low percentage risk for him that keeps his options open. It is the same thing that Wade, Lebron, etc. have all done as well. I don't think this is worth all the fingerpointing I am seeing on this thread. IMO, there is no need to sever the fan relationship with JJ over this. It would be nice to have him locked up, but let's see how this plays out before declaring him dead to us or anything.

[Wurider05]

PPG--16.4

RPG--4.50

APG--=3.5

He is not a player you can count on to bring it in the playoffs. That is where you earn your salary. I tell you what if he comes around this year shooting 41% from the field he can forget about it.

Another thing, I like JJ but you have got to admit that due to the system that Woody runs his stats are inflated. He plays over 40 minutes a game and has the green light. That gets exposed in the playoffs. If he make it to the finals it won't be because because of JJ it will because JJ played a part in the team effort!!

Edited September 29, 2009 by Wurider05

[Buzzard]

Please recognize people that one of the reasons JJ feels like he can do this is that the Hawks can't look elsewhere except if they get another team to agree to a trade. They can't just go sign a comparable player under the cap. JJ knows this offer will be on the table next summer so this is a low percentage risk for him that keeps his options open. It is the same thing that Wade, Lebron, etc. have all done as well. I don't think this is worth all the fingerpointing I am seeing on this thread. IMO, there is no need to sever the fan relationship with JJ over this. It would be nice to have him locked up, but let's see how this plays out before declaring him dead to us or anything.

Not severing the relationship but to me this is as good a offer as he is going to get over a four year period. Maybe someone offers 75 over 5 but this is a huge risk on his part.

15 mill a year is a lot of money for a 3rd tier all-star player who has a history with two teams of dissapearing during the playoffs and for long stretches during the regular season. If JJ plays to form again this year, his gamble will be ours or someone elses gain. Not to mention risking a injury that hurts his season and ours. I think he is getting some really bad advice.

Only teams I can see paying him a similar amount is a team that feels like he is the missing peice and they already have a superstar in place. Not many of those type teams in the market next season.

Edited September 29, 2009 by Buzzard

[buckeye242424]

...and the board overreacts once again.

Yup. He's following the lead of other top free agents. It's not a surprise to me. Whether he's worth that type of money, I don't know? But my hunch is SOME team out there that has deep pockets will offer him a max deal, if he continues to do what he's done with the Hawks. I don't think it's all that bad from a fan's perspective. He's going to play at a high level every single night. He's got something to prove individually to warrant a max deal. That can't be bad for the Hawks. Let's cross that bridge after 82 games and the playoffs. With the team we have right now, it's exciting. I'm much more concerned with the 09 season than the 10 summer.

[Buzzard]

...and the board overreacts once again.

Not overreacting. He is our only all-star so dissappointment should be expected; and its not like Sund low balled him, 15 mill a year seems very fair.

[bonethugz]

Please recognize people that one of the reasons JJ feels like he can do this is that the Hawks can't look elsewhere except if they get another team to agree to a trade. They can't just go sign a comparable player under the cap. JJ knows this offer will be on the table next summer so this is a low percentage risk for him that keeps his options open. It is the same thing that Wade, Lebron, etc. have all done as well. I don't think this is worth all the fingerpointing I am seeing on this thread. IMO, there is no need to sever the fan relationship with JJ over this. It would be nice to have him locked up, but let's see how this plays out before declaring him dead to us or anything.

thank you

i've said it before and i'll say it again. if we're offering max or close to max this summer(before camp) to jj, why not just let him earn his contract? if jj fail(again) in the playoff, we might as well look for some other options. it's not so bad that he won't sign an extension this year

[Buzzard]

thank you

i've said it before and i'll say it again. if we're offering max or close to max this summer(before camp) to jj, why not just let him earn his contract? if jj fail(again) in the playoff, we might as well look for some other options. it's not so bad that he won't sign an extension this year

Its bad in that we will not have cap space to replace him. This is the reason Sund was willing to offer him a decent extension; replacing JJ is not a real option for us next year since we do not have the cap space to go after another all-star free agent.

AHF is correct in that we need JJ more than he needs us if we are to continue improving. For those that think Crawford can replace JJ, that is only a option if we have to. Crawford is a nice scorer but he is nowhere near the defender or all around player JJ is.

There are a couple of teams out there who will have enough cap space to sign two big time free agents and become instant contenders ala the Celtics when they traded for Garnett and Allen in the same year. Those are the teams to worry about and that is why Sund tried to get this done now.

I don't think a team will outbid us; but I do think JJ will weigh heavily the possibility of playing with the likes of Lebron, Wade, and Bosh in his final decision. Here is to hoping the Knicks can sign Bosh and Lebron and thus take JJ out of their equation lol

Edited September 29, 2009 by Buzzard

[frankthetank966]

I've lost some respect for JJ b/c of this situation. But at the same time several athletes do this and claim they dont want to sign an extension b/c it will distract them from the upcoming year. I'm not sure how true that is b/c I have never been in that type of situation but hopefully he signs after the yr. Otherwise we will have to go after D-Wade!

[High5]

Hopefully not being locked up will make him play better.

Edited September 29, 2009 by High5

[Buzzard]

Not reaching an extension does not mean we will not resign JJ to a new contract this summer. Most people in this thread are reacting as if this were the case, but its not. Thus, its an overreaction since people are reacting to a potential occurrence that is of greater magnitude than what this actual implies.

If Sund did not think it was imperative to get JJ signed, I think he would have let it play out without such a great extension offer. 15 mill is a lot of money to offer for a player you are not overly concerned with bolting next season.....that is my take on it and I don't think I am reading to much into it or overreacting.

It is what it is...he did not sign because he wants to weigh his options; those options are going to be much better for JJ than they where for Smoove, Chilz, or Marvin

[gsuteke]

I have mixed emotions on this subject.

On the one hand JJ is an overrated jump shooter - on the other hand he's a damn good overrated jump shooter.

That shot he hit against the Heat in the playoffs from way beyond the 3 point arc was insane and clutch.

Sure some teams will have money to sign a max level player - but two? Even if that be the case the supporting cast around Joe would pale in comparison to what he's got in Atlanta.

The real question is does Joe want to win or does Joe want the most $$$ he can possibly get? It is impossible for him to get both. Joe left Phoenix because he wanted to "be the guy." Well he is the guy and the Hawks are on the verge of being "the team" over the next 5 years.

My only hope is that Joe doesn't get caught up in his own numbers this season because for this team to take the next step Marvin, Al, Smoove, and Crawford as the 6 man must play a larger role than last season.

For the Hawks to improve on 47 wins but more importantly make a deep playoff run this season Joe will have to play less minutes and other guys will have to shoulder a larger portion of the load. I just hope Joe is fine with that.

[Duff_Man]

Well if nothing else, we now have him in a contract year. We could get the last great year out of him since he'll be playing for a big contract.

JJ isn't a really disruptive guy. I think it'll be OK one way or another. We do have to be careful and not over-pay him, but if he leaves, we might take a step backwards.

[Buzzard]

I have mixed emotions on this subject.

On the one hand JJ is an overrated jump shooter - on the other hand he's a damn good overrated jump shooter.

That shot he hit against the Heat in the playoffs from way beyond the 3 point arc was insane and clutch.

Sure some teams will have money to sign a max level player - but two? Even if that be the case the supporting cast around Joe would pale in comparison to what he's got in Atlanta.

The real question is does Joe want to win or does Joe want the most $$$ he can possibly get? It is impossible for him to get both. Joe left Phoenix because he wanted to "be the guy." Well he is the guy and the Hawks are on the verge of being "the team" over the next 5 years.

My only hope is that Joe doesn't get caught up in his own numbers this season because for this team to take the next step Marvin, Al, Smoove, and Crawford as the 6 man must play a larger role than last season.

For the Hawks to improve on 47 wins but more importantly make a deep playoff run this season Joe will have to play less minutes and other guys will have to shoulder a larger portion of the load. I just hope Joe is fine with that.

People change as they get older; its already been stated many times before...players reach a certain age championships become just as, if not more, important than money...

It is my understanding that the Knicks and Nets will both have over or around 40 mill in cap space next summer; they can easily sign two max players if that is the case.