What do you guys think about Joe Johnson?

[JoeyPeters]

Hello,

I have been a hawks fan for a while now (finally got season tickets this year) and I dislike Joe Johnson alot. He can not take over a game, he can not take the Hawks to the next level. It seems like since we got Bibby, Joe has been more of a ball hog. He tries to do his fancy dribbles until there is 4 left on the shot clock and then takes a terrible shot or passes it, forcing one of his teammates to take a terrible shot.

We need to get rid of him and build the team around Josh Smith and Bibby...

Your Thoughts?

[JackB1]

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Hello,

I have been a hawks fan for a while now (finally got season tickets this year) and I dislike Joe Johnson alot. He can not take over a game, he can not take the Hawks to the next level. It seems like since we got Bibby, Joe has been more of a ball hog. He tries to do his fancy dribbles until there is 4 left on the shot clock and then takes a terrible shot or passes it, forcing one of his teammates to take a terrible shot.

We need to get rid of him and build the team around Josh Smith and Bibby...

Your Thoughts?

I tend to agree. Even though Joe is very talented, I feel like we might grow more if we cut him loose. His "one on one" style of play slows us down. I would rather have a quality #5 right now than Joe.

[AnnArborHawk]

I think Joe is a good player (obviously not a superstar game-changer) who would be a great second or third scoring option on a contender.

I'm not ready to say we need to ditch Joe yet. He obviously has a couple weaknesses (doesn't pass well out of double teams, for example), but I'd like to see (and hopefully we'll have the chance) if he can overcome those under the tutelage of a real coach. Joe's as good as he's ever going to get so long as Woodson is the coach...he's hit a ceiling and Woodson can't do anything more for him.

[Packfill]

Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player. Obviously he isn't on the same level as Kobe or LeBron, but that does not take away from the fact that he is a very good all around player who has been forced to play too many minutes on a bad team.

Without JJ the Hawks would probably be the worst team in the league. JJ would be awesome paired with a true star like Tim Duncan.

[TroyMcClure]

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Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player.

Not really. If you put a gun to my head... I'd probably take Josh Smith. He does a lot more, imo. Has a higher ceiling, as well. This is Joe's ceiling.

[TheDude]

Joe is our only guy or at least has been in the past. He has to fight double teams constantly and it kills him. When he's one on one, he's a machine. Only when we got Bibby recently does he have someone who can provide an offensive boost to bring the pressure from him.

Where he needs to get better is passing out of the double team. When teams start to pay for doubleteaming Joe Johnson, they will have no choice in many cases than to defend him straight up.

[Packfill]

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Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player.

Not really. If you put a gun to my head... I'd probably take Josh Smith. He does a lot more, imo. Has a higher ceiling, as well. This is Joe's ceiling.

Josh Smith is still too inconsistent and makes too many mental mistakes. When the mental aspects of his game catch up to his physical abilities then he may realize his potential.

[coachx]

but without JJ Coach Woody woul have ZERO plays to run....LOL

If JJ and company flop the rest of the year and just don't get it done vs. the easy schedule that lies in waiting, it should be a very real possibility depending on who the new coach or GM are and what they want. Hard to predict without knowing who will be calling the shots.

If we could get a really good center for JJ then you do it. Teams just don't trade big for small too often unless your Jerry West helping out the Lakers with Gasol, or McHale helping out the Celtics with Garnett or a young for old trade (Shaq / Marion).

One guy who comes to mind is Okefor (who s a RFA). He is not the pure 7 footer but he and Horford would be tough underneath. The problem is the Bobcats have no use for JJ with Richardson and Wallace as their starting wings and Morrison coming off an injury.

Is there a way to pry Richardson and Okefor from the Bobcats ?

JJ / ZaZa / Chills (resigned) and a future 1st rounder

for

Richardson and Okefor (resigned)

I would prefer Tyson Chandler but I don't see the Hornets even taking calls for him but they need SG and Chris Paul and JJ are really good friends so you never know.

( BOTH ARE VERY DOUBTFUL TRADES)

If the Hawks perform well the rest of the year and go on a tear, then I would rather keep JJ and add a defensive minded center lke Diop to better round out the existing roster.

JJ will prove what he is worth to this franchise over the next month. If he can't be the catalyst to get this team on a tear vs. this WEAK schedule then the franchise is waisting their time with JJ.

For the first time in JJ's career, as a Hawk, he actually has something to play for this late in the season.

JJ.....its time to put up or shut up......... staight up !

[AHF]

This has been JJ's worst year in Atlanta but I am definitely not ready to get rid of him. If you can upgrade, you trade anyone on the team but this team needs JJ. I would replace the coach with someone who can actually install an offense and see how JJ does in that system before even considering unloading him. Woodson's non-offense is a detriment to every player on this team.

[exodus]

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Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player.

Not really. If you put a gun to my head... I'd probably take Josh Smith. He does a lot more, imo. Has a higher ceiling, as well. This is Joe's ceiling.

I don't see how this year could be JJ's ceiling since this has been his worst season here. At worst last season is his ceiling.

[dhawk]

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He has to fight double teams constantly and it kills him. When he's one on one, he's a machine.

When the double team comes, I think sometime Joe holds the ball waiting for someone to cut to the basket, move or do something. Typically if its not a turnover, he has to thrown it out to Smoove or Bibby standing 30 feet from the basket.

This is coaching. There should be a distinct advantage of 4 on 3 when Joe is doubled, the other guys should having spacing and should be cutting and constantly moving.

[Kimsey]

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Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player.

Not really. If you put a gun to my head... I'd probably take Josh Smith. He does a lot more, imo. Has a higher ceiling, as well. This is Joe's ceiling.

I don't see how this year could be JJ's ceiling since this has been his worst season here. At worst last season is his ceiling.

So why is he struggling so much when last year he was playing at a high level with less talent and the same exact coaching staff.

I think he is injured with maybe a groin or quad injury.

He really doesn't make his teammates better... Double teams come and crowd him vigorously knowing he doesn't have enough foot speed to get by them or split the double and he doesn't make decisive passes/decisions like Tracy Mcgrady did last night. With some type of offensive gameplan that can change tho I hope.

[Murat]

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He has to fight double teams constantly and it kills him. When he's one on one, he's a machine.

When the double team comes, I think sometime Joe holds the ball waiting for someone to cut to the basket, move or do something. Typically if its not a turnover, he has to thrown it out to Smoove or Bibby standing 30 feet from the basket.

This is coaching. There should be a distinct advantage of 4 on 3 when Joe is doubled, the other guys should having spacing and should be cutting and constantly moving.

Exatcly i watched last night Dal-Hou game and Tmac didn't waste his time passing out of double team. As soon as the double team came he passed the ball and Battier, Landry, Alston all had open looks. Joe doesn't pass till he has to, that's the biggest problem because it's hard to make a perfect pass when defenders are all up in your face.

[exodus]

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Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player.

Not really. If you put a gun to my head... I'd probably take Josh Smith. He does a lot more, imo. Has a higher ceiling, as well. This is Joe's ceiling.

I don't see how this year could be JJ's ceiling since this has been his worst season here. At worst last season is his ceiling.

So why is he struggling so much when last year he was playing at a high level with less talent and the same exact coaching staff.

I think he is injured with maybe a groin or quad injury.

He really doesn't make his teammates better... Double teams come and crowd him vigorously knowing he doesn't have enough foot speed to get by them or split the double and he doesn't make decisive passes/decisions like Tracy Mcgrady did last night. With some type of offensive gameplan that can change tho I hope.

I don't know what his problem is. He has gotten his 3 pt shooting up to 37% but overall this has been a bad season. He has looked like he is pouting at times and his shooting off the dribble has been off.

He also needs to pass quicker out of double teams. He has thrown some really horrible passes lately.

[DJlaysitup]

You are a season ticket holder like I ama flocking Astronaut....a word you couldn't spell if I didn't give it to you - still, new posters are good to have.

[Dsinner]

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You are a season ticket holder like I ama flocking Astronaut....a word you couldn't spell if I didn't give it to you - still, new posters are good to have.

So unless you can spell Astronaut you're not a season ticket holder? Not sure I get the attack in this one JJ. I love how people on message boards are discredited simply because of their post count. Sorry, minor annoyance of mine.

Now back to the OP...

I think JJ is having an off year but trading him? We can trade till the cows come home but without a decent coach it won't matter much. I'd rather keep JJ as he's one of the few guys we have that can shoot the rock. And as we all know (Childress haters), the rest of the teams shooting percentage drops when we don't have a shooter in the lineup. Whatever the hell that means.

[JoeyPeters]

Thanks for being a jack ass for no reason. That would be a very stupid thing to lie about. I actually own 4 season tickets and also have bought playoff tickets to the first 2 rounds. Unfortunately we will not make them because our "star" is Joe Johnson and he can't lead a team to the playoffs. He would be a great role player for a real all star.

[TroyMcClure]

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Joe Johnson is far and away the Hawks best player.

Not really. If you put a gun to my head... I'd probably take Josh Smith. He does a lot more, imo. Has a higher ceiling, as well. This is Joe's ceiling.

I don't see how this year could be JJ's ceiling since this has been his worst season here. At worst last season is his ceiling.

Ceilings built on poor foundations tend to fall more than they rise, you know? I think you get the point. Joe's best years are behind him, until the Hawks are too, I'm afraid.

[thefloydian]

I think Joe is a good third, possibly second, option on a team.

Unfortunately, we're paying him star money.