Article by Joe's agent about re-signing with Hawks

[D.R.P.]

The Huffington Post July 4, 2010

Arn Tellem

Principal, Wasserman Media Group

A Robust Cup of Joe

Nine years ago I sat in the bleachers of a high school gym in Santa Monica to watch one of my clients work out for a couple of NBA teams. It was shortly before the summer draft, and my prospect, a 19-year-old shooting guard from the University of Arkansas, had the ball deep in the corner with his back to the hoop. With two defenders all over him, Joe Johnson, all 6'8" and 225-pounds of him, leaped, spun and chucked in a line drive. Three seconds later he stole the ball and was double-teamed in the low post with no escape route humanly possible. So Joe did something inhuman -- making a 180-degree turn and lofting a perfect lob pass to a teammate beneath the rim.

On his way out of the gym, Michael Jordan -- on hand to scout him for the Washington Wizards - told me, "Mark my word: Joe could turn out to be the best player in the 2001 draft."

Well, the time has come to mark His Airness' words. With the possible exception of Pau Gasol, whom the Atlanta Hawks took with the No. 3 pick before trading his rights to the Memphis Grizzlies, Joe has fulfilled Jordan's prophecy. After the Boston Celtics drafted him tenth overall (the Wizards chose Kwame Brown with the top selection), Joe was traded to the Phoenix Suns. In 2005, Joe, a restricted free agent, signed a five-year offer sheet from Atlanta. (The sign-and-trade deal brought Phoenix guard Boris Diaw and two lottery-protected future first-round picks). This season he averaged 21.3 points a game and was named to his fourth straight All-Star team. Today, the newly-minted free agent announced his intention to resign with the Hawks for six more years.

When Joe came to Atlanta, the Hawks were NBA doormats, and not especially welcoming ones at that. Since his arrival, their record has improved every season. They've made the playoffs three years running. During the 2009-'10 campaign, Joe helped the Hawks to their best record (53-29) in 13 years. Only five teams had more wins.

Over his five years in Atlanta, Joe has established himself as one of the most formidable forces in pro ball. As a dynamic Mr. Inside/Mr. Outside duo, he and his young teammate Al Horford rank statistically just behind Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. The Hawks also have Josh Smith, who, at 24, is one of the league's emerging talents. There's a lot to like in Atlanta these days.

Before becoming a free agent, Joe focused on the Hawks, the Bulls and the Knicks. Chicago offered him a chance to play with the brilliant point guard Derrick Rose and a tough young center, Joakim Noah. A further incentive: the roster included Joe's great friend Jannero Pargo, one of his college teammates. New York has Mike D'Antoni, the coach who nurtured Joe in Phoenix. Joe loved playing for D'Antoni and was excited by the possibility of joining him in New York. It seemed like a perfect match: a tenacious player who never naps oncourt in the city that never sleeps.

When the free-agency period kicked in, Joe made a point of talking to the Hawks first. Their owners and new coach, Larry Drew, impressed Joe with their commitment to making the team championship-caliber. In turn, Joe felt equally committed to the Hawks, his teammates and the city of Atlanta.

With all his success, Joe remains as grounded as he was a decade ago at our first meeting in Little Rock. His priorities are his family, his friends and his game. Joe could have forced a sign-and-trade deal for five years with another team, but he decided that winning in Atlanta would be more meaningful. When the Hawks offered the maximum -- six years -- he happily reciprocated.

For his next act, Joe plans to actively recruit other top free agents to Atlanta, a place not unlike his hometown, where he feels comfortable and appreciated.

LeBron, you've already met with the front offices of six teams. How about considering the Hawks?

[Flight]

I hope JJ actually does try to recruit others to play for ATL.

[Diesel]

Arn Tellem could be a writer. I'm sure that the first few paragraphs was his pitch to the teams interested in Joe. However, if you consider it, he makes a very good point... Atlanta is a city for young stars to consider now. We have some mighty good pieces. If we don't get Paul, Lebron might be a good pick up.

[dhawk]

Al Horford fired his agent and hired Joe's agent.

[buckeye242424]

Al Horford fired his agent and hired Joe's agent.

Al's too nice to fire anyone...I'm sure he just "let him go".

[HAWKSFAN89]

I also heard Joe will try to recruit FA's to ATL.

[tonegully]

In order for us to be taken seriously. Joe Johnson has to get out there and get who he thinks we need.

[Plainview1981]

Funny.... Dirk took less money even with an owner that has deep pockets. Now Joe wants to be pretend to be somewhat noble by claiming he is recruiting. If he wanted to win that bad he would leave some of that money on the table just to make it easier for the owners to bring in other players. No top FA is going to come to a capped out team that doesn't even have a quality coach.

[Buzzard]

Funny.... Dirk took less money even with an owner that has deep pockets. Now Joe wants to be pretend to be somewhat noble by claiming he is recruiting. If he wanted to win that bad he would leave some of that money on the table just to make it easier for the owners to bring in other players. No top FA is going to come to a capped out team that doesn't even have a quality coach.

He took the same money but less years. And Dirk is now on his 3rd Max contract (he just opted out of his 2nd to sign this 80 mill @ 4 years) . Its not like he gave up his 1st Max so Cuban could keep Nash; so quit putting the guy on some pedestal. This is JJs first max deal; no one not Allen, Carter, Kobe, Dirk, Pierce, Bron, Garnet, Shaq, Duncan etc... gives up their first Max.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Buzzard

[Plainview1981]

He took the same money but less years. And Dirk is now on his 3rd Max contract (he just opted out of his 2nd to sign this 80 mill @ 4 years) . Its not like he gave up his 1st Max so Cuban could keep Nash; so quit putting the guy on some pedestal. This is JJs first max deal; no one not Allen, Carter, Kobe, Dirk, Pierce, Bron, Garnet, Shaq, Duncan etc... gives up their first Max.

That's true, but Joe doesn't deserve the max in the first place and all of those players you listed are better than Joe in their prime.

[Buzzard]

That's true, but Joe doesn't deserve the max in the first place and all of those players you listed are better than Joe in their prime.

JJ is every bit as important to us as Garnet was to Minny, Carter was to Toronto, Pierce was to Boston, and Allen was to the Bucks.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Buzzard

[Plainview1981]

JJ is every bit as important to us as Garnet was to Minny, Carter was to Toronto, Pierce was to Boston, and Allen was to the Bucks.

So the most important player of every team deserves the max?

Can the best player on every team use this argument?

[Diesel]

So the most important player of every team deserves the max?

Can the best player on every team use this argument?

It depends on how important that player is to that team.

The money is an ownership/FO decision. They base it on more than wins and losses. It's a Babcock way of thinking to consider a player down the line. Remember Babcock got rid of Dominique... that basically destroyed a fanbase when he did that. Babcock explained it like it was a smart business move, but in all reality, he had taken the 1 star and the face of the team and traded it for nothing. The ASG lived through that and the aftermath of it. You don't just kick your best player because you're afraid of the future.

Now, when you consider Joe... take my test...

Name all the players who were in the last 4 allstar games. Then let's compare salaries.

[Buzzard]

So the most important player of every team deserves the max?

Can the best player on every team use this argument?

Carter nor Allen in their primes are significantly better than JJ in his. So our best player deserves just as much as they got; especially when you consider that the only reason we, the Raps, the Bucks were (is) a playoff contender is because of our best player.

[Plainview1981]

It depends on how important that player is to that team.

The money is an ownership/FO decision. They base it on more than wins and losses. It's a Babcock way of thinking to consider a player down the line. Remember Babcock got rid of Dominique... that basically destroyed a fanbase when he did that. Babcock explained it like it was a smart business move, but in all reality, he had taken the 1 star and the face of the team and traded it for nothing. The ASG lived through that and the aftermath of it. You don't just kick your best player because you're afraid of the future.

Now, when you consider Joe... take my test...

Name all the players who were in the last 4 allstar games. Then let's compare salaries.

Your talking regular season s*** and I'm talking about being a contender. The Celtics proved how important the regular season is largely. You think Boston cared about being 0-4 against the Hawks and having a worst regular season record?

What does all star games do for you in the playoffs? You know, the place where Joe shot 27% and averaging 12PPG. It takes a real all star to average 12PPG in a big playoff series. Give him the max! His playoff performances really call for it!

Your talking regular season s*** and I'm talking about being a contender.

[Buzzard]

Your talking regular season s*** and I'm talking about being a contender. The Celtics proved how important the regular season is largely. You think Boston cared about being 0-4 against the Hawks and having a worst regular season record?

What does all star games do for you in the playoffs? You know, the place where Joe shot 27% and averaging 12PPG. It takes a real all star to average 12PPG in a big playoff series. Give him the max! His playoff performances really call for it!

Your talking regular season s*** and I'm talking about being a contender.

When Pierce, Allen, and Carter where playing as the opposing teams focus, their playoffs where up and down as well. Lets face it, the playoffs are a different animal and we need help just as Carter, Allen, and Garnet needed help. It is easy to harrass and sometimes shut down one player; but if we get help it will have the same effect as when Spree and Cassell signed with Minny.

Maybe Horf, Smoove, and Teague are that help. And maybe they are not; but losing JJ is not the answer IMO.

[Diesel]

Your talking regular season s*** and I'm talking about being a contender. The Celtics proved how important the regular season is largely. You think Boston cared about being 0-4 against the Hawks and having a worst regular season record?

What does all star games do for you in the playoffs? You know, the place where Joe shot 27% and averaging 12PPG. It takes a real all star to average 12PPG in a big playoff series. Give him the max! His playoff performances really call for it!

Your talking regular season s*** and I'm talking about being a contender.

I'm saying that no contender has ever bombed in the regular season. You see Hots, here's the thing.. you have to realize that in order to be a contender, you first have to prove yourself in the regular season. That's the first Checkpoint. And the Hawks have a check for that. That checkpoint takes us from being one of 30 to being 1 of 16. Then if you win your first round playoff game, you move from being 1 of 16 to being 1 of 8. Now we lost the chance to be one of 4. However, we had the fifth best regular season record. So in essence, we probably got to where we were supposed to go.

There are no Rocky's in the NBA. You can't be an 8th seed and win it all. Cinderella doesn't exist here. So these checkpoints are more telling about contendership than anything that you're coming up with about how we lost. We lost to a better team. It was a bad matchup. Period. However, had we had a different path, there's no telling how much farther we could have gone.

[Plainview1981]

Carter nor Allen in their primes are significantly better than JJ in his. So our best player deserves just as much as they got; especially when you consider that the only reason we, the Raps, the Bucks were (is) a playoff contender is because of our best player.

Carter was way better than Joe. Hell, Carter was still better when he was in NJ.

It's laughable to hear people bash Joe all off season and talk about how he doesn't deserve the money, but when he gets the money people start defending him again.

[Buzzard]

Carter was way better than Joe. Hell, Carter was still better when he was in NJ.

It's laughable to hear people bash Joe all off season and talk about how he doesn't deserve the money, but when he gets the money people start defending him again.

I do not see Carter or Allen as heads above JJ talent wise at all. They were more flashy but the results were very similar. A lot of the bashing was towards ISO JJ. Maybe JJ was the head coach also.

Point is taken Hotlanta; you don't like this signing. I say we did not have much of a choice unless we wanted to start all over again. Barring injury, JJs contract should be just as tradeable as Carters or Allens a few years down the road should this not pan out for us.

And even if he did get a no trade clause, going to a contender at the same pay, just as Allen and Carter did, would be an attractive option for him. If we dont become that contender ourselves.

[Plainview1981]

I'm saying that no contender has ever bombed in the regular season. You see Hots, here's the thing.. you have to realize that in order to be a contender, you first have to prove yourself in the regular season. That's the first Checkpoint. And the Hawks have a check for that. That checkpoint takes us from being one of 30 to being 1 of 16. Then if you win your first round playoff game, you move from being 1 of 16 to being 1 of 8. Now we lost the chance to be one of 4. However, we had the fifth best regular season record. So in essence, we probably got to where we were supposed to go.

There are no Rocky's in the NBA. You can't be an 8th seed and win it all. Cinderella doesn't exist here. So these checkpoints are more telling about contendership than anything that you're coming up with about how we lost. We lost to a better team. It was a bad matchup. Period. However, had we had a different path, there's no telling how much farther we could have gone.

The Hawks had a worse playoff season this year than last despite having the 6th man of the year and a more healthy team. They couldn't explain away bad performances this yea due to injuries on the team.

There have been plenty of bad match ups in NBA history, but how many have resulted in the kind of points difference that the Hawks gave up against Orlando? No title contender losses to ANY team by an average of 25 points per game. That's just ridiculous. They didn't lose to a better team... They got put to shame.

Edited July 5, 2010 by Hotlanta1981