MC: Hawks expect Johnson to accept contract offer

[Admin]

JTB posted this link in his apology thread but since I know some people won't even read that thread I figured I'd post it here since it's got some good info in it.

http://www.ajc.com/sports/atlanta-hawks/hawks-expect-johnson-to-562671.html

The Hawks met with Joe Johnson for a second time in Los Angeles on Thursday and expected to work out the details of a maximum contract offer for the free-agent guard, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.

The person said the Hawks expect Johnson to accept their six-year contract offer, which is expected to be worth about $121 million when the NBA sets the salary cap next week. The person did not want to be identified because the Hawks are not commenting on the details of their negotiations with Johnson.

The Hawks made the contract offer at the start of the free-agent negotiating period at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. Johnson later met with officials from the Knicks who, like all teams other than the Hawks, are limited to making Johnson an offer for five years and about $92 million.

The person with knowledge of the negotiations said Johnson prefers to return to the Hawks. Johnson, 29, is a four-time All-Star who spent the past five seasons with the Hawks.

A person familiar with the Hawks' plans said re-signing Johnson would be the first step in the team's plans to become a serious contender in the Eastern Conference after they were dominated in the second round of the playoffs in consecutive seasons. The person did not want to be identified because the Hawks haven't publicly discussed their plans.

The person said the Hawks made re-signing Johnson a priority because the team almost certainly wouldn't be as good next season without him. If Johnson leaves, the Hawks wouldn't have the salary-cap flexibility to replace him with a comparable free agent.

The Hawks assessed the market for Johnson and found that a few teams with salary-cap space were prepared to offer him the five-year maximum contract. The Hawks then decided to made an aggressive effort to re-sign Johnson.

The person said general manager Rick Sund and his staff realize that adding Johnson isn't enough to make the team better on its own. They would still want to add more talent, including a starting-caliber center, and Hawks owners are willing to pay the NBA's luxury tax “for the right player,” according to the person.

If Johnson re-signs, the Hawks' payroll for next season would be near the projected $68 million luxury-tax threshold, and they would pay a 100 percent tax for salaries above it. The Hawks plan to use the nearly $3 million they netted from selling one of their draft picks last week to help offset that potential cost, according to the person with knowledge of their plans.

The news that the Hawks would offer Johnson a maximum contract seemed to catch many NBA observers by surprise. Media commentators and Hawks fans widely criticized the decision on Twitter and in blogs.

One NBA.com report suggested Hawks owners are willing to sign Johnson to the maximum deal because they are looking to sell the team soon. The report said they aren't worried about Johnson's salary increases later in the contract because they will have sold the team by then.

But a person familiar with the Atlanta Spirit group's finances disputed that characterization. The owners are not looking to sell the team, which is one of the few NBA franchises not burdened by debt, according to the person.

It's expected that co-owner Steve Belkin eventually will be bought out by the rest of the group after a long-running series of disputes. The owners are seeking additional investors, but have no plans to sell the team, according to the person with knowledge of the group's plans.

The person did not want to be identified because Hawks owners do not want their internal financial plans made public.

[GameTime]

So I am guessing Horf or Smoove gotta go?

[Admin]

I am VERY excited about the possibility of us adding a starting caliber center and if that's true it means that Josh is on his way out as it would seem odd that the team would want a starting caliber center if he weren't going to start and there's no way that they would trade or bench Al Horford. The question is who is that starting caliber center that would cause them to pay the luxury tax and would presumably be acquired by trading Smith?

I've heard that the Lakers have considered trading Bynum for Bosh so I wonder, would they consider moving Bynum for Smith in a 3 way deal with the Raptors where they get Bosh and the Raptors get Smith and we get Bynum? Obviously there would have to be other players involved but that would seem like a pretty good trade for each team wouldn't it?

Or maybe they consider Okafor a starting caliber center? I will too if he's attached to Chris Paul!

[RedDawg#8]

I am VERY excited about the possibility of us adding a starting caliber center and if that's true it means that Josh is on his way out as it would seem odd that the team would want a starting caliber center if he weren't going to start and there's no way that they would trade or bench Al Horford. The question is who is that starting caliber center that would cause them to pay the luxury tax and would presumably be acquired by trading Smith?

I dunno. I feel like they are going to try to keep both Smoove and Horf. One of the main selling to points to Joe Johnson was that ATL was the only place he would play with top 10 talents at 2 positions in Smoove in Horf. I think that the ASG see's them and Joe as the"Core" of a championship team as they are an All star trio. I think that the plan is to move/acquire pieces to build around them. Im not saying this is right, I would move Smith myself, I just believe that this is how they are thinking

[JTB]

LOL i guess people dont want to forgive the ASG just yet. LOL

[thecampster]

I am VERY excited about the possibility of us adding a starting caliber center and if that's true it means that Josh is on his way out as it would seem odd that the team would want a starting caliber center if he weren't going to start and there's no way that they would trade or bench Al Horford. The question is who is that starting caliber center that would cause them to pay the luxury tax and would presumably be acquired by trading Smith?

I've heard that the Lakers have considered trading Bynum for Bosh so I wonder, would they consider moving Bynum for Smith in a 3 way deal with the Raptors where they get Bosh and the Raptors get Smith and we get Bynum? Obviously there would have to be other players involved but that would seem like a pretty good trade for each team wouldn't it?

Or maybe they consider Okafor a starting caliber center? I will too if he's attached to Chris Paul!

Bynum's repeated health issues would make this a non starter for me despite him being an obvious talent.

Edited July 2, 2010 by thecampster

[tonegully]

No to Bynum. he is to injury prone.

[NJHAWK]

I posted that link in the ajc update thread last night but you have to start a new thread around here to get anyone to notice. I certainly cant throw the 1st stone there, lol. I just wonder if Amir Johnson can get 7 mill a year for 5 years for 6 ppg and 4rpg what the hell kind of starting center are we going to get with the MLE?

Edited July 2, 2010 by NJHAWK

[HawkRock1123]

(looking at some of these other threads) Are we all suddenly okay with this now??? Any "help" that we could bring in seems like it's going to be some 2nd rate "has been/never was" unless we pull off some blockbuster trade. Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like (with Joe at a max salary), we don't have room to bring in anybody that will be even close to the Horford/Smith level.

I'm stoked that ASG is willing to spend money. But you still have to spend it wisely. I don't know. Hopefully Sund knows what he's doing, but I still don't understand why we're paying Joe max money. I'd love to have him back, but not at that price.

Edited July 2, 2010 by HawkRock1123

[AHF]

I posted that link in the ajc update thread last night but you have to start a new thread around here to get anyone to notice. I certainly cant throw the 1st stone there, lol. I just wonder if Amir Johnson can get 7 mill a year for 5 years for 6 ppg and 4rpg what the hell kind of starting center are we going to get with the MLE?

That is a concern of mine as well. Last time the Hawks talked about spending for a big man they ended up bringing in Lorenzen Wright after weeks of speculation on here about names with salaries like Dalembert and Biedrens. Let's see where this goes.

[ATLBob]

(looking at some of these other threads) Are we all suddenly okay with this now??? Any "help" that we could bring in seems like it's going to be some 2nd rate "has been/never was" unless we pull off some blockbuster trade. Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems like (with Joe at a max salary), we don't have room to bring in anybody that will be even close to the Horford/Smith level.

I'm stoked that ASG is willing to spend money. But you still have to spend it wisely. I don't know. Hopefully Sund knows what he's doing, but I still don't understand why we're paying Joe max money. I'd love to have him back, but not at that price.

The blockbuster trade is the idea here.

The caveat: could Smoove/Marvin/Bibby (11.6/6.7/5.6, or ~24M) somehow feasibly turn into a C/PG combo that improves the team?

For example: CP3/Okafor (14.9/11.8, or ~27M)

Calderon/Bynum (9/13.7, or ~23M)

Ellis/Wright/Biedrins (11/3.4/9, or ~23.5)

No one (well, no one with a decent & working amount of reason) is advocating a firesale for nothing.

[ATLBob]

Max Joe shouldn't look so bad if you can let MC, ASG, etc, convince you that ASG really is giving Sund the keys to make moves that take the Hawks a bit over the luxury tax.

Think about it this way: with no cap, Joe > than current MAX easy. Name 10 players who get signed first (fantasy draft style). You might think 5 is easy, but I bet 10 gets a little more difficult.

Also consider the rumors (which you should believe btw) that several teams are willing to give Joe the 5yr MAX (and would also go 6MAX if they could).

I'm not suggesting that MAX Joe doesn't come with its own concerns, but it clearly beats losing Joe for nothing IMO.