<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">TORONTO -- Restricted free agent Joe Johnson, who next week plans to sign a lucrative offer sheet from the Atlanta Hawks, told ESPN.com on Friday night that he has asked the Phoenix Suns not to match the offer. In town for Steve Nash's charity game at Air Canada Centre, Johnson revealed that he directly informed Phoenix managing partner Robert Sarver earlier this week that he would prefer to continue his career as a Hawk. "We had a discussion," Johnson said in his first extended interview about his future since free agency began July 1. "I did tell them that." Asked why he wants to leave the Suns after a breakthrough season, for himself and the team, Johnson said: "It's a lot of things. How things were handled [with Johnson's contract] last summer, how things have been handled this summer. There's been some things going on that aren't great." </div> ESPN
Bad news for the Suns, they have lost their two best shooters in Johnson and Richardson. Who will fill their spots?
Raja Bell and Jimmy Jackon are better shooters than Q Rich, but Johnson is a big loss...but Bell is really underrated, I feel he can have a break out year, and Amare is going to progress alot from last year, probably have an MVP type year, and just have a dominant season Nash/Barbosa Bell/Jackson Marion/Thompson Amare/Tischer Kurt Thomas/Hunter Suns are now a balanced team, they've added a great perimeter defender in Bell, and a great post defender in Kurt Thomas. lol...its not like they're offense is going to suffer miserably, they're still going to average over a 100 a game, don't forget that Shawn Marion is a consistant 20 ppg, and will get more touches, same with Amare.
The Suns also lose their back-up PG because of this. They sure didn't have faith in Barbosa during the playoffs, but he is more of a 2. Losing JJ makes me think that the Pacific division will be much closer next year, with the Warriors and Lakers rising along with the Kings somewhere in the mix it should be a battle.
Barbosa's role should step up another level, this is his 3rd year, i expect him to be more mature, he's a damn good combo guard.
I feel like the impact that Joe Johnson had on the Phoenix Suns was really underrated all season. When Johnson was injured in the playoffs, we all saw the kind of impact he had on his team. I've heard a lot of people say he wouldn't do well without Nash, and I've also heard a lot of people saying he couldn't be a team's main option. However, when Amare Stoudamire was injured and they didnt have Nash, Richardson, or Jackson, Joe Johnson was the team's go-to-guy for a large chunk of the season and finished the year off nicely averaging 17 ppg and 5 apg in 82 games. With the potential that he has at the age of 24 (as of two days ago), he deserves this money. I think Bill Simmons was right on when he said that Johnson has the 21st highest trade value in the NBA - "21. Joe Johnson ? Great way to separate diehard NBA fans from casual NBA fans: When Johnson broke his face during the Dallas series, the casuals said, "Well, that's all right, they still have Q and Jimmy Jackson," while the diehards said, "Oh, boy, they're screwed." But with Johnson eligible for max money and Phoenix needing to cut payroll, J.J. could end up being the best young player on the market since Wes Unseld gave up on Rasheed Wallace about 12 years too early." - Simmons
I like that entire column Vodoo, he's humurious and i agree with him on most points accept for Bosh and Lebron. No way i can see people trading Bosh for Billups, Emeka or Manu. Bosh trumps them all out of talent and the fact that he's 2 years younger than Emeka and aleady more talented (though you cant compare because they play differently, i know). He's 8 years younger than Billups and Manu. Bosh should be just behind Dirk IMO Lebron should also be #1. The lack of a kicker in his Nike contract where he would get paid more for being in one of the 3 big markets, + the fact that niether of the two main ones (NY and LA) look ready to provide him with any support in the near future, + the new CBA makes Lebron's stay in Cleveland assured IMO.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 02civic:</div><div class="quote_post">I like that entire column Vodoo, he's humurious and i agree with him on most points accept for Bosh and Lebron. No way i can see people trading Bosh for Billups, Emeka or Manu. Bosh trumps them all out of talent and the fact that he's 2 years younger than Emeka and aleady more talented (though you cant compare because they play differently, i know). He's 8 years younger than Billups and Manu. Bosh should be just behind Dirk IMO Lebron should also be #1. The lack of a kicker in his Nike contract where he would get paid more for being in one of the 3 big markets, + the fact that niether of the two main ones (NY and LA) look ready to provide him with any support in the near future, + the new CBA makes Lebron's stay in Cleveland assured IMO.</div> I also felt that LeBron James should have been the obvious #1. Another selection that I disagreed with was Allen Iverson at #22. Don't get me wrong, I'm still one of his harshest critics, but he has one of the biggest fan followings in the NBA and is going to sellout games wherever he ends up (unless it's Atlanta mind you). I think Bosh is in the right place at #20. I don't think Billups should be over him, but by that same standard, I don't think Bosh deserves to be over Gasol, Iverson, Pierce, or Marion.
Bad loss in losing JJ. The Suns have now lost 2 pure shooters. I guess Pheonix will be really looking at Michael Finley now, or some kind of shooter. I wonder who the Suns could trade for Finley though.
They might not have to if the Mavs waive him with this new rule in the CBA. But that still means signing him. How much is he worth?
The Suns losing Joe Johnson is a huge loss, Michael Finley could make up for it, but still I can't see the Suns overcoming the Spurs without Joe. The Warriors might be a better team too with Bdiddy and Jrich and solid cast. So you're right about the Pacific being very close. Amare is still a beast, Marion is still great, Nash is still Canadian, so the Suns will still be in good shape, but they should still match the offer..
i always believed that Qrich was overrated as a shooter. he will be easy to replace. i dont think barbosa can handle being a back up pg like johnson could. And i think that finley wouldn't be as good on the team as johnson was.
Joe Johnson really should have told the Suns this before they decided to plan their entire offseason around resigning him. The Suns still got a balanced lineup, but now the chances of them contending against the Spurs are small.
Johnson gone isnt good for the Suns at all, and is it just me or are the Hawks really having a great offseason.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting R_ChutneY:</div><div class="quote_post">Joe Johnson really should have told the Suns this before they decided to plan their entire offseason around resigning him. The Suns still got a balanced lineup, but now the chances of them contending against the Spurs are small.</div> I disagree. Joe Johnson is a Free Agent, and he shouldn't be rushed into a decision just to make it easier for the Suns. If the Suns planned their offseason around resigning him, then that's their fault for not considering that he may want to sign elsewhere. Besides, what did they do to "plan their entire offseason around resigning him" besides trading Richardson (which they should have done anyway)? I agree with your second point though, I can't see them being a contender for the title again next season unless they get Finley, and even then, Finley is not as good as Johnson was.
Yet another example of what is wrong with the NBA. Just when the league was entering a new era of exciting basketball, we see that it's all about me for some players. Phoenix went all out to make their team a winner with Nash who began each possession with the heightened possibility that a player like Joe Johnson would have a scoring opportunityl. Is second place in the West as far as that team could go. Didn't the series go to 7 games with San Antonio ? Johnson was not underappreciated. There was an outpouring of love and encouragment when he fell and fractured his cheekbone. Now where is his team spirit, his selflessness, his dedication to his mates and coach and the owner who pays his salary? Come back and show us who you are Mr. Johnson, the determined all-around player who was the focus of opponents' defensive stoppers and be the running mate of a point guard who plays to set you up. Pray on this one and talk to your teammates.
