We've resisted the rumors that Sam Smith put out a week ago (H/T Blog-A-Bull) that theorized a Joe Johnson deal to Chicago for Kirk Hinrich, Taj Gibson, and draft picks. The notion was total speculation and not based in sources in the Bulls front office. Yesterday we heard Ric Bucher once again tell the ESPN Radio world that he thought Johnson was a best bet to go to....the Bulls in a SNT (sign and trade) scenario. Bucher made no mention of potential players from Chicago in yesterday's discussion, but his confidence in his opinion gives rise to the 2 questions: Do Hawks fans want to trade Joe Johnson? What would the Hawks want from Chicago in a SNT for Joe? http://www.peachtreehoops.com/2010/5/31/1494826/joe-to-chicago-in-sign-trade-is
I dont like it for the simple fact that he'd prolly get a max contract from the hawks and we'd have to take that in the trade (im in the boat of ppl that agree johnson isnt worth a max contract).
The only reason to do a sign and trade for JJ is if they have already used up their cap on somebody, which is the only way signing JJ makes sense. He isn't worth a max contract and he definitely doesn't warrant an extra year. The only other way it makes sense is if they want to get the extra year to spread out a less than max deal. Something like 6 years $80 mil. Given everything that has gone down over the last 8 years Pax and Reinsdorf have to know they are more than a big guard away from contending. I don't see Atlanta matching that, and I'm not sure JJ is greedy enough to go to NY for more money and a lot more dysfunctional losing. I'd like to think winning means something to him.
Which is just about every Bulls fan. Joe Johnson should be plan D (After Lebron, Bosh, and Amare). 6 years for a guy who will be 35 when his contract ends? He's not even worth a max contract now.
