AJC: Hawks To Offer Full Max To Joe Johnson

[sturt]

This makes me think we are bringing him back with a max deal. I don't think they would tell Michael Cunningham about a max offer that was for the purposes of a S&T without the S&T in place and then it would be an announcement of a forthcoming trade.

Get ready to embrace JJ, gentlemen, because it looks like he will be in Atlanta for the foreseeable future.

I'd agree, except I think it will depend who "they" are... without knowing where in the chain of command MC's source sits, it's difficult to say.

[AHF]

I'd agree, except I think it will depend who "they" are... without knowing where in the chain of command MC's source sits, it's difficult to say.

It is difficult for me to believe that any source knowing that the Hawks are going to make a S&T with JJ that involves a max deal would only tell MC about the max deal and not about the S&T.

[Joker]

Wow, Joe Johnson will make more money than Lebron James. I hope CP3/Okafor trade happens or else this isn't going to end well.

[mrhonline]

Then kill the GM and ownership, not the player! If JJ is back, I hope Atlanta is cheering for him to reach new heights under Coach Drew and not dumping on him ala Marvin Williams.

There will be plenty of blame to go around, but JJ knows the consequences of this decision - the Hawks will not be championship contenders with him on the roster at this price.

[TheTruth]

Handing him the max would be a mistake. I like Joe, and I hope we utilize him more off-the-ball this season, but I don't want salary cap inflexibility when the ownership is already scared to go into luxury tax land and use our MLE [last year]. Horford is due for an extension within the next season or so, and we have to build a decent bench instead of "Jamal Crawford and trash." Joe will not put us over the top, and the salary cap inflexibility will not help in that regard either. And as our best player, I don't see this team, as constructed, being championship material. It may take a few years for that...and by then Joe will be into his 30s. If this report is true, and Joe is retained, the Hawks better find a creative way to get a decent big man and a better bench because that ridiculous contract he will sign will tie up a lot of money. Winning 50 games is no good if we keep getting early exits and thrashings in the playoffs.

Let me be clear: I don't mind having Joe back, but not for the max.

[coachx]

No, I'll be EVEN MORE critical of him now. I didn't think he was worth more than 2/3rds of this deal, if this is true.

Don't become a hater Mr.H. Your one of the best posters on the site and your opinion is alwayse valued.

I am looking foward to seeing how this plays out with Teague getting more minutes at PG which will force JJ to play off the ball more and take away alot of the iso crap that was so hard to watch.

I am also hoping to shift a little salary around to the center position in a follow up move. Sund has track record of making some excellent trades (Bibby, Crawford, R. Allen in his prime ).

[Joker]

There will be plenty of blame to go around, but JJ knows the consequences of this decision - the Hawks will not be championship contenders with him on the roster at this price.

We could be championship contenders, we just have to sell out the arena but Joe will not do that for us, someone else will have to do that. The problem is if we do not get that guy.

[sturt]

It is difficult for me to believe that any source knowing that the Hawks are going to make a S&T with JJ that involves a max deal would only tell MC about the max deal and not about the S&T.

Not sure why you say that. Too many possibilities out there to be that sure of your conclusion. Chief among them, there is incentive for Sund to let that become public, but no such incentive to indicate the SnT.

[mrhonline]

The problem is if we do not get that guy.

This is truth, but I have my doubts the Hawks have anything other than Al Horford to offer to teams to get that other guy.

[JohnnyCASH]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67621/20100630/hawks_to_offer_full_max_to_joe_johnson/ :help wanted3:

DIDNT SEE THE 1 ALREADY POSTED BUT THIS SUCK TO BE A HAWK FAN

Edited June 30, 2010 by marion706

[coachx]

Handing him the max would be a mistake. I like Joe, and I hope we utilize him more off-the-ball this season, but I don't want salary cap inflexibility when the ownership is already scared to go into luxury tax land and use our MLE [last year].

If this is true then I think its a sign that the ASG don't have problem paying a little tax. The luxury tax seems unavoidable at this point.

If the owners don't mind paying a little tax then this is not a bad thing. They may suprise us. they suprised by shipping out expiring deals for longer deals with Bibby and Marvin. Now this with JJ.

This is truth, but I have my doubts the Hawks have anything other than Al Horford to offer to teams to get that other guy.

What about Smoove and Crawford's expiring deal ? They are not exactly chopped liver either.

I can't see Horford going any where.

Edited June 30, 2010 by coachx

[coachx]

Wow, Joe Johnson will make more money than Lebron James. I hope CP3/Okafor trade happens or else this isn't going to end well.

The ASG would turn into Mark Cuban practically over night with a such a trade and Rick Sund would morph into Jerry West !

Okafor's deal is an albatross but with Paul, JJ, and Horford we would not need salary cap flexibility. They would be our "Big 3" allstar players.

It would not be hard for those guys to recruit role players to play with them.

You have me dreaming of Paul and Horford running pick and rolls with JJ getting a ton of wide open looks.

Edited June 30, 2010 by coachx

[mrhonline]

What about Smoove and Crawford's expiring deal ? They are not exactly chopped liver either.

They're not filet mignon either. ;)

[Kimsey]

I can live if they offer him 6 years 17 million a year base which equals to 102 million total. 17 mill is easier to trade than 20 or 21 million later down the road when the new CBA will view that as more difficult to trade than arenas's current albatross contract.

[khaos7]

A part of me believes M.Cunningham's sources. Number one, the ASG knows that the fans are split (and I'm being generous with that assessment) as to whether we should keep Joe. This situation isn't comparable to what happened with Kovy and the Thrashers. Most Thrashers fans wanted Kovy back. Hawks fans...that's to be determined.

I believe the ASG is offering him the max because either

1) there is a trade in the works. SnT. A trade involving another Hawks players to appease Joe (Smoove?). A trade would be in the works.

or

2) Rick Sund/Larry Drew have convinced these guys that Joe is worth the max for their team and it will be hard or impossible to replace his productivity considering the cap situation.

[coachx]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wiretap_archives/67621/20100630/hawks_to_offer_full_max_to_joe_johnson/ :help wanted3:

DIDNT SEE THE 1 ALREADY POSTED BUT THIS SUCK TO BE A HAWK FAN

Its funny we would be seeing the exact same reaction and post had the JJ left the Hawks for nothing.

[HawkItus]

If the Hawks do this then I and many other poster need to eat crow. The statement has always been ownership is cheap. But, for the last 3 summers they would have paid Market value for all their best players. What else can they do? All the other options we have are loser options or depend on another team. I wise man once told me you create your own luck. Teams like the Mavs, Cavs, Heat, Lakers, and Celtics were able to make big deals because they had big money already invested in their roster. When we missed out on other blockbuster trades it was because we didn't have enough salary to make moves. Hopefully those days are over. Let the ASG worry about the money.

[Eddielives]

I share the same sentiment.

Ditto!

[JohnnyCASH]

Its funny we would be seeing the exact same reaction and post had the JJ left the Hawks for nothing.

YEA

[AHF]

Not sure why you say that. Too many possibilities out there to be that sure of your conclusion. Chief among them, there is incentive for Sund to let that become public, but no such incentive to indicate the SnT.

What good does it do to communicate this publicly? I understand sending this message to the other GMs if your goal is to get a S&T, but why go to the press with it?

I have always thought JJ was most likely to end up back in Atlanta so admittedly this does confirm my underlying belief. I didn't think they would come out looking to do a max deal, though. I thought they would trump other offers and come out with something strong but less than max for JJ.