Will we hang his jersey

[Sothron]

If he had played two more years for us at his current All Star, All NBA level I would say it was a no brainer that his jersey would be retired.As it stands now though I can't see them doing it. He really needed those two years extra to be able to say he was an 8 time All Star and All NBA player. For those who are either too young or intentionally forget Joe Johnson came to a 13 win team because HE wanted to come HERE. And the only reason we became a playoff team was because Joe was here to build around with Josh and Horford. No one forced A$G to give him a max deal and he would have been an outright FOOL not to sign it. So blaming him for a contract is beyond silly.

[falcsforlife]

Will Joe's jersey be up in the rafters of Phillips when it's all said and done.

Lol...you guys are crazy.

[NineOhTheRino]

Did he even lead the team to a division title? Man our standards are low.

[High5]

Why do people act like Joe came to Atlanta out of the goodness of his heart?

[capstone21]

Joe Johnson played hard only before the All star games for the bonus money.

Never a more false statment was made on this board

[AHF]

Joe Johnson played hard only before the All star games for the bonus money. He never connected with the community and was as exciting as a slice of bread. I am looking forward to the new JJ.

That isn't at all true and the stats don't support it at all.

If he had played two more years for us at his current All Star, All NBA level I would say it was a no brainer that his jersey would be retired. As it stands now though I can't see them doing it. He really needed those two years extra to be able to say he was an 8 time All Star and All NBA player. For those who are either too young or intentionally forget Joe Johnson came to a 13 win team because HE wanted to come HERE. And the only reason we became a playoff team was because Joe was here to build around with Josh and Horford. No one forced A$G to give him a max deal and he would have been an outright FOOL not to sign it. So blaming him for a contract is beyond silly.

I agree with this but I consider JJ to have been a borderline All-Star guy during his years in Atlanta (i.e., one of the last ones on the team each year and never did anything memorable in those appearances). Using All-NBA to describe JJ is a bit disingenerous given that he made 3rd team All-NBA once (i.e., the same total as Al Horford). I think the acquisition of JJ worked out very well for the Hawks and wish him the best. I just don't think he rose high enough to end up in the rafters with Pettit, Hudson and Nique. Deke was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time DPOY during seasons Deke was in Atlanta. He made a 2nd team and a 3rd team All-NBA (all-defense every season). I don't see JJ's legacy as materially better than that resume even with the extra years. Edited July 3, 2012 by AHF

[Admin]

No. When he turned on the fans a couple of years ago He cut his nose off in spite of his face. Make that he'll no

I think it's cutting off the nose to spite the face, not in spite of the face LOL.

[Sothron]

That isn't at all true and the stats don't support it at all. I agree with this but I consider JJ to have been a borderline All-Star guy during his years in Atlanta (i.e., one of the last ones on the team each year and never did anything memorable in those appearances). Using All-NBA to describe JJ is a bit disingenerous given that he made 3rd team All-NBA once (i.e., the same total as Al Horford). I think the acquisition of JJ worked out very well for the Hawks and wish him the best. I just don't think he rose high enough to end up in the rafters with Pettit, Hudson and Nique. Deke was a 4-time All-Star and 3-time DPOY during seasons Deke was in Atlanta. He made a 2nd team and a 3rd team All-NBA (all-defense every season). I don't see JJ's legacy as materially better than that resume even with the extra years.

If Deke had spent at least 8 years with the team his jersey would have been retired. All the really good but not great players we've had almost always get traded before they spend enough time here to merit their jerseys being retired. And frankly Hudson shouldn't have his jersey retired. He wasn't good enough and if people are using JJ's barometer on playoff success then Nique's jersey shouldn't be retired either. The only Hawk superstar to win a ring was Pettit and that was back in St. Louis. So if we are using posteason success as some have said before then the only one that deserves to be retired as a guy who never even played for the Atlanta Hawks.

[AHF]

If Deke had spent at least 8 years with the team his jersey would have been retired. All the really good but not great players we've had almost always get traded before they spend enough time here to merit their jerseys being retired. And frankly Hudson shouldn't have his jersey retired. He wasn't good enough and if people are using JJ's barometer on playoff success then Nique's jersey shouldn't be retired either. The only Hawk superstar to win a ring was Pettit and that was back in St. Louis. So if we are using posteason success as some have said before then the only one that deserves to be retired as a guy who never even played for the Atlanta Hawks.

My biggest problem is that I can come up with an alternate reality without any stretching where JJ never makes an All-Star team. If he was playing with Iverson, T-Mac, Kobe, Reggie, MJ, etc. he would never have sniffed 6 All-Star appearances. Combine his good but not great play with his non-personality and occasional bashing of the hometown fans and that doesn't get me where I need to be to hang his jersey. The post-season success is a factor (as is his sub-average play in the post-season) but it is only a part of the picture and I wouldn't use it as a litmus test and eliminate or elevate someone based on how far the team got in the playoffs alone.

[Sothron]

My biggest problem is that I can come up with an alternate reality without any stretching where JJ never makes an All-Star team. If he was playing with Iverson, T-Mac, Kobe, Reggie, MJ, etc. he would never have sniffed 6 All-Star appearances. Combine his good but not great play with his non-personality and occasional bashing of the hometown fans and that doesn't get me where I need to be to hang his jersey. The post-season success is a factor (as is his sub-average play in the post-season) but it is only a part of the picture and I wouldn't use it as a litmus test and eliminate or elevate someone based on how far the team got in the playoffs alone.

With the exception of Jordan and Kobe I'd take Joe any day of the week over bums like Iverson or a one dimensional jump shooter in Reggie Miller. Joe's ticket to the All Star game every year is his all around play. He doesn't score outside of one career season like an elite scorer but his all around game is fantastic. He deserved every one of his All Star appearances and frankly he should have been a routine fixture on the All Defensive teams as well. My only beef with Joe's number being retired is that he wasn't here long enough. I think you need at least 8 good years on a team before you can honestly retire their number. Joe didn't have that so I don't think he should have his retired.

[PSSSHHHRRR87]

I think it should...

[ATLHawks3]

Why not?

[coachx]

Its a tough call as to where to set he bar for jersey retirement.I think Joe's production would get him in if had been more beloved and embraced by the fans.

[ATLHawks3]

Its a tough call as to where to set he bar for jersey retirement. I think Joe's production would get him in if had been more beloved and embraced by the fans.

Agreed.

[DarnShadyRefs]

Heck^ naw = Heck to the naw I think what you meant to ask was, will we hang Danny Ferry's Blazer when its all said and done after this offseason? Yes!! he is already a hall of Fame GM to me...Bwahahhahahah

Edited July 3, 2012 by DarnShadyRefs

[coachx]

I'd take Joe any day of the week over bums like Iverson or a one dimensional jump shooter in Reggie Miller.

Joe's main critique is lack of playoff performance compared to HOFers.............since your comparing him to HOFers. I was not a fan of Iverson's style but he was better then Joe Johnson. If Atlanta had AI from the ages of 24 - 30, with same roster JJ had durng that same age range, the Hawks would have gotten out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Reggie Miller was Mr. Clutch. Unlike Joe he has many, many HUGE games in the playoffs and came through in the clutch much more then Joe. Despite 34 of Reggie Miller's 148 career playoff games coming after the age of 36 he still managed 20.6 ppg in the playoffs on 45% FG and 39% 3pt %/ Joe Johnson can't touch that......... Until Reggie's per game averages starting to tank when playing at the ages of 37-39.........Reggie averaged 23.5 ppg in the playoffs from his 1st playoff game until he was 37 years old. Reggie also played in the playoffs 15 consecutive seasons. Edited July 3, 2012 by coachx

[Sothron]

Joe's main critique is lack of playoff performance compared to HOFers.............since your comparing him to HOFers. I was not a fan of Iverson's style but he was better then Joe Johnson. If Atlanta had AI from the ages of 24 - 30, with same roster JJ had durng that same age range, the Hawks would have gotten out of the 2nd round of the playoffs. Reggie Miller was Mr. Clutch. Unlike Joe he has many, many HUGE games in the playoffs and came through in the clutch much more then Joe. Despite 34 of Reggie Miller's 148 career playoff games coming after the age of 36 he still managed 20.6 ppg in the playoffs on 45% FG and 39% 3pt %/ Joe Johnson can't touch that......... Until Reggie's per game averages starting to tank when playing at the ages of 37-39.........Reggie averaged 23.5 ppg in the playoffs from his 1st playoff game until he was 37 years old. Reggie also played in the playoffs 15 consecutive seasons.

I'm sorry but it is hard to take this post seriously when you actually said the words "iverson was better". Allen Iverson is IMO the most overrated and overhyped bum of a scrub that has ever played in the NBA. You let any NBA player take the laughable amount of shots he took while playing nothing but isolation basketball on every possession then you can find any scrub that would put up points. Iverson was a pure chucker, he had almost no basketball IQ and he was beaten like a drum defensively because of how small he was and his low basketball IQ. As for Reggie Miller, look at the teams he had around him and then look at Joe. Then compare how Reggie was allowed to come off multiple screens while Joe in the hands of two inept coaches was left alone on the wings in isolation hell in the playoffs. And then you have to factor that Reggie defensively gave up just as much as he got in the playoffs as well. So yes, I'll easily take Joe Johnson and his all around game over some glorified chuck in Iverson and a one trick pony in Reggie Miller.

[MaceCase]

Sothron just spent an entire post describing Joe without noticing the irony.

[Sothron]

Sothron just spent an entire post describing Joe without noticing the irony.

Joe Johnson at no point his career was ever a chucker or a defensive sieve like Iverson or Reggie Miller.

[coachx]

Joe Johnson at no point his career was ever a chucker or a defensive sieve like Iverson or Reggie Miller.

I know you fall in love with Hawks players but no need to diss Reggie like that.

Reggie Miller was a SG who was extremely efficient shooting the ball with 47.1% career FG % and 39.5% 3pt %. e is one of the 3 or 4 greatest shooter of all time. Heck, Reggie's career true shooting percentage is an outstanding 61.4 % ! Reggie also lead the league in Offensive Rating ( points per 100 possesions) 3 different seasons.

Reggie Miller was no chucker. He is one of the more effcient scorers in histroy at the guard position.

Now from the ages of 35 - 39 Reggie best days as a defender were past him. In his younger days he was no "defensive sieve."

Now AI was a chucker............42% career FG % and 31% career 3pt %.

I'll take a chucker with more playoff success over an all around player with less playoff success. Just my opinion though.

Edited July 3, 2012 by coachx