Supporter

I pick Lou WilliamsSweet Lou was the sixers leading scorer in the regular season last year. He will be a good back up pg to Goran and offers a more scoring style of play.PG: Goran Dragic/Lou WilliamsSG: Joe JohnsonSF: Lebron JamesPF: Pau Gasol/ Ersan IllyasovaC: Nene/ Nikola PekovicDevon has been pm'ed

SUNDAY, JUNE 24, 2012Once More, With Feeling: Reviewing Joe Johnson's SeasonPreviously: Josh Smith, Larry Drew, Rick SundThe second season of Joe Johnson's second, more ridiculous contract with the Atlanta Hawks demonstrated some practical understanding of his strengths and limitations. Up to a point, it was as good a season as could reasonably expected from Johnson at this stage of his career. That point was the playoffs.During the regular season, Johnson, presumably recognizing his increasing inability to create high-percentage shots for himself or for teammates, demonstrated a greater willingness to finish rather than start possessions and he finished possessions from behind the three-point line more often (per minute and as a percentage of his field goal attempts) than in any previous season in Atlanta. The result of his slightly smaller role in the offense: significantly more efficient scoring at the cost of some assists. A fair trade.With Mike Bibby and Jamal Crawford replaced in the rotation by Jeff Teague and Kirk Hinrich, Johnson was no longer burdened with futile defensive assignments. Johnson took on a role more suited to his lack of athleticism and general defensive passivity. He stopped fouling almost completely (committing a little more than one personal foul every 36 minutes and committing more than three personal fouls in a game on three occasions, one of them being the triple overtime loss to Miami) and let his already poor defensive rebounding rate shrink to 9.2%. Neither of these prevented the Hawks from improving significantly defensively, suggesting that reducing Johnson's defensive role was a net positive. He even had a (relative) shot blocking explosion, rejecting 13 shots in 2127 minutes after blocking just 12 shots in more than 5400 minutes during the previous two seasons combined.Despite the positive results, all this sensibility regarding Joe Johnson disappeared in the playoffs. Injuries didn't help matters but, even at less than 100%, Josh Smith and Al Horford clearly looked superior, outplaying the overextended Johnson in the playoffs. That's old news. In a new development, Jeff Teague joined them in outshining Johnson.Johnson repeatedly failed to create good shots for himself or his teammates while struggling to chase Paul Pierce around screens for much of the series. Yet it was Johnson, dribbling nowhere good against a set defense to which the Hawks turned again and again until elimination. It was the worst of Johnson's five mediocre-to-poor playoff performances as a Hawk.The series also re-raised the question of whether the limitations Johnson's contract has put on the team from a player personnel standpoint will continue to carryover onto the court. There are now three younger teammates (Smith, Horford, and Teague) capable of making Johnson a more effective player the more they are on the court, the more they have the ball in their hands. The Hawks are overpaying Joe Johnson to be an above average player. The overpayments* will continue after Johnson has ceased to be an above average player. The team must get maximum value out of him while there remains value to be had.*Since Rashard Lewis was traded again this week, a word regarding untradeable contracts: untradeable contracts become tradeable once another team is in possessions of a contract (or contracts) as large, but longer than the one you want to get out from under. Joe Johnson's contract has four years to run and more than $89 million due. Also, unlike Lewis, Johnson's contract is fully guaranteed.Posted by Bret LaGree at 6:13 PM

In before joker/nbasuperstar says that he is Karl Malone

Yeh sorry for the late reply

name 5 that are better

I want to really trade my round 8 and 9 picks for a high pick in the 7th round and 11th round. PM if interested.

OOPS I meant to say that I pm'ed Jaybird

Nikola PekovicWith Nikola, I have one of the best rebounding/scoring front courts in the NBA. Nikola adds scoring and rebounding to my team. He had a per of 21.5 last year to go along with 14 ppg and 7.5 rpg in only 27 mpg.PG: Goran DragicSG: Joe JohnsonSF: Lebron JamesPF: Pau Gasol/Ersan IllyasovaC: Nene/Nikola PekovicI have pm'ed Devon

goran dragic....someone pm devon please. i'm in my phone

Ivan has more toughness that all our players combined....hell all of the league combined. We need "that" on our team.

I feel like it will be a major sigh of relief for the players on the team and the coach once Josh is gone.Are you not upset every time he takes the ball away from the point guard, every time he goes 1 on 5, everytime he shoots a jumper, every time he wants to be the man despite what coaches and players want him to do. Josh Smith is an enigma that has grown over the years due to lack of discipline and enabling. Josh is who he is at this point in his career, we need him out.Yes, Josh is our most dynamic, impactfull, versatile player, but his negatives don't only show up on the court but also off the court.This off season will be the first step in our rebuilding process.1. Lose Josh2. Lose Joe3. Build around Teague and Horford

NOOO my pg (Jrue) has been taken...

I would say her chances at the chip depends on how her young wings develop. Kyrie is a superstar, Dirk can score on anyone, and Tyson is the wall of China.

Don't have to worry AHF, I pm'ed her. Sorry about not noting it. Thanks for the compliment!

The "Athletic" Supporters....really lw3, that's the best you could've come up with?I want a name change to the $uper $upportive $upporters a.k.a. Triple $ a.k.a. $$$ a.k.a. The Best Team In This League

I had to stock up on big men because i know that good big men are rare in the NBA. On the other hand, PG's who can shoot and play defense aren't so hard to find. Also, look at the previous few Champs. The pg's on those teams are [PLAYERS]

My hardest pick so far.....With my next pick I take Ersan Illyasova, the most underrated player in the NBAHe can score, rebound, make threes, and is the perfect sixth man for my team. He posted a per of 20.55 last season 13 ppg and 9 rpg. This guy can absolutely play the game of basketball. He rarely makes mistakes and is perfect for my bench. I need a big that can play outside so that I can spread the floor for Lebron to do WORK! Oh and btw, he is only 25 years old.PG:SG: Joe JohnsonSF: Lebron JamesPF: Pau Gasol/Ersan IllyasovaC: Nene

You have a lot of talent on your team....

With my pick, I choose NeneNene is a legit center. At 6'11, Nene posted a per of 18.65 last year. He shot 54% from the field, averaged 7.5 rebounds and 14 ppg. Nene can only compliment my big three biggest he provides something they cannot, a true enforcer down low. Pau Gasol and Nene is the perfect front court to compliment my all star backcourt.Devon is pm'edPG:SG: Joe JohnsonSF: Lebron James/Joe JohnsonPF: Pau Gasol/ Nene/Lebron JamesC: Nene/ Pau Gasol

Last year I went with Rose, Cousins, Harden as my core 3, this year I picked Lebron, Gasol, Joe. Hmm....I wouldn't mind having either core to be honest. One core is built for the future, another is built for the present.

I like Rudy for your team since CP3 can max out his scoring potential. CP3 would go wild with a true low post player like big AL and a scorer like Rudy.

Actually I feel like Iggy is a typical "Pippenesque" point forward who can defend and pass, while Rudy is a better scorer. They are two completely different players, but I feel like Iggy is the better player as a third option at this point.

That's really the big flaw of my team, most of these guys despite being already proven are getting up there in age. Last year I went with potential, this year I'm going with experience.

Joe JohnsonYes he gets so much hate on here, but it's mostly because of his role (1st option) and salary. As a third option, Joe Johnson can be a championship player on any team. He draws double teams, he makes threes at a high percentage (especially when wide open), he can pass, and he can defend. With Lebron running the team, Pau Gasol scoring in the low post, and Joe out on the wing, my team has a formidable big three.C: Pau GasolPF:SF: Lebron JamesSG: Joe JohnsonPG:

Pau GasolLet's face it, Pau Gasol is the most skilled big man in the nba. He has post moves, he has a jumpshot, he can rebound, and he can pass. A two time NBA champion, he is the perfect fit next to Lebron James.