Joe Johnson forfeits $3m to be waived.

[k.c.hawg]

Joe wants a shot to play for a contender. In the last year of a 6 year $124m contract paying him $24.9 this year. Negotiated a buyout and sacrifices $3m. Right now the Cavaliers are pushing hard, Hawks also wanting him to return to Atlanta.

[Hogimus Prime]

I hope he goes to Cleveland.

[SWD26]

I hope he goes to Cleveland.

Me too! Joe may not be as he once was but he can still play. He would also probably play a lot better at Cleveland by just having better players around him.

[3kgthog]

Cleveland no brainer. ATL has no shot at anything this season.

[Hawg Red]

Worth the sacrifice if he can win a ring. Joe is still playing well enough to get an okay contract with a contender in the offseason. He won't be playing for the league minimum.

[Hogimus Prime]

Me too! Joe may not be as he once was but he can still play. He would also probably play a lot better at Cleveland by just having better players around him.

I think he could average around 11 ppg in Cleveland.  He'd be a great addition to their Big 3.

[husker71]

tells you alot about Mr Johnson   alot of guys would have just stayed where they were and not sacrifice 3 million

[WOOPIGMAN]

I would really enjoy seeing Joe Johnson get a ring. He's a great ambassador for Arkansas basketball and seems to be a true professional from what I've seen. WPS!! First post

[Dr. Starcs]

Would love for joe to be a spur.

[hawgmasta]

I think the Cavs would be his best bet other than Golden State obviously, but there's no way he's headed there.

[k.c.hawg]

Me too! Joe may not be as he once was but he can still play. He would also probably play a lot better at Cleveland by just having better players around him.

He had a beautiful line several games back.   27 pts, 11 assists, 6 reb, 2 steals, 1 block. He would be a huge addition to one of the big contenders coming down the stretch. Brooklyn's front office had nothing but good things to say about him and said they would welcome him back in the off season. That won't be happening but it spoke well of the class act Joe has been while there. Also made note of his 7 walk off winners , which leads the NBA in the same time frame.

[1highhog]

I think the Cavs would be his best bet other than Golden State obviously, but there's no way he's headed there.

I think he would have a great chance with the Spurs, even better than the Cavs as far as winning a ring, best Coach in the Game in my lifetime, but I'm just not sure Joe would fit in line with the style Coach Pop runs.

With the Cavs, they're not winning anything this year, that team belongs to Lebron, has a yes man as Coach, and only has the players Lebron wants to play with, except Love.  They spent all that money on Thompson, because Lebron made sure that he was signed or he may not sign, no Coach can come in there and build a team without Lebron getting in the way.

[HiggiePiggy]

Cavs would be nothing with out Lebron. Just like they were when he was gone before.

[1highhog]

Cavs would be nothing with out Lebron. Just like they were when he was gone before.

True, but they won't win a title with him either unless he quits meddling.

[Ben Steiger]

Would love for joe to be a spur.

Same here.

[SuperSid4Ever]

I think he would have a great chance with the Spurs, even better than the Cavs as far as winning a ring, best Coach in the Game in my lifetime, but I'm just not sure Joe would fit in line with the style Coach Pop runs.

With the Cavs, they're not winning anything this year, that team belongs to Lebron, has a yes man as Coach, and only has the players Lebron wants to play with, except Love.  They spent all that money on Thompson, because Lebron made sure that he was signed or he may not sign, no Coach can come in there and build a team without Lebron getting in the way.

You were born after Phil Jackson?

[intelligence]

You were born after Phil Jackson?

one might argue that Popavich gets more with less.

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

one might argue that Popavich gets more with less.

Pop has won more NBA championships with only one HOF than Phil did.

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

I vote Larry Brown.

Also, it's too bad Joe didn't value a championship more earlier in his career.

He left a VERY talented team in Phoenix led by Nash and Amare Stoudamire with some very good pieces.  I understood the move for the money but thought it might be a mistake as soon as I heard the news.

[pignparadise]

I vote Larry Brown.

Also, it's too bad Joe didn't value a championship more earlier in his career.

He left a VERY talented team in Phoenix led by Nash and Amare Stoudamire with some very good pieces.  I understood the move for the money but thought it might be a mistake as soon as I heard the news.

I lived in Phoenix then. The  Suns tried to chump change him even limiting minutes so his numbers would go down and not be attractive to other teams. The Suns made a big mistake.

[1highhog]

You were born after Phil Jackson?

Phil Jackson had ready made teams, Coach Pop has put his teams together and changed out pieces over a longer period of time with lesser talent.  Jackson is no where near the Coach Popavich is.

[1highhog]

I vote Larry Brown.

Also, it's too bad Joe didn't value a championship more earlier in his career.

He left a VERY talented team in Phoenix led by Nash and Amare Stoudamire with some very good pieces.  I understood the move for the money but thought it might be a mistake as soon as I heard the news.

LOL at Larry Brown.

[WooPig90]

In the end its like a 1-1.5 mil sacrifice because he will be getting about a mil or so from his next team

[Hawg Red]

In the end its like a 1-1.5 mil sacrifice because he will be getting about a mil or so from his next team

Way higher than that, assuming he re-signs with whatever team he signs with here coming up. What he brings to a contender will easily be worth 3-5 million a year for a couple of years. Joe can still play, especially when you frame him as a 3rd or 4th option next to elite players.

[WooPig90]

Way higher than that, assuming he re-signs with whatever team he signs with here coming up. What he brings to a contender will easily be worth 3-5 million a year for a couple of years. Joe can still play, especially when you frame him as a 3rd or 4th option next to elite players.

Yeah, just meant the rest of this year. But he can still play and will probably easily get 5 mil a year

[SWD26]

Here's an article that just came out.


http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14851166/lebron-james-admits-cleveland-cavaliers-want-joe-johnson-says-great-piece-team

[Atlhogfan1]

Hope he stays away from the Hawks.  Some in the Atlanta media and Hawks fans treated Joe like crap after the big contract.  He never had the athleticism to be Kobe or Lebron and take over playoff games which brought a lot of criticism.  But without him, they wouldn't have made the playoff trips they did. 

As unselfish as Joe is, he would be a great complimentary player at this point. Not an NBA or Cavs fan, but hope he lands somewhere like that and finishes up with success. 

[Hawg Red]

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/703303602593521667

[Paul]

I think he would have a great chance with the Spurs, even better than the Cavs as far as winning a ring, best Coach in the Game in my lifetime, but I'm just not sure Joe would fit in line with the style Coach Pop runs.

With the Cavs, they're not winning anything this year, that team belongs to Lebron, has a yes man as Coach, and only has the players Lebron wants to play with, except Love.  They spent all that money on Thompson, because Lebron made sure that he was signed or he may not sign, no Coach can come in there and build a team without Lebron getting in the way.

On the surface I'd agree with you but Pop has a way of molding offensively talented players into vital cogs in his system well like Robt Horry

[1highhog]

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/703303602593521667

He sure won't finish out his career well there.

[WooPig90]

https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/703303602593521667

Why?! guess he doesnt want to win a ring

[jesterzzn]

Heat are a good team with or without JJ.  They won't win a championship with or without him either.  If I'm JJ, I want to go to the Cavs or Thunder.  Heat makes no sense to me.

[razorbackfan4life]

Joe doesn't want to play off the bench.  I think it was a great move for him. 

The Heat needed a player like him.  The Cavs.. not so much. 

[WooPig90]

Joe doesn't want to play off the bench.  I think it was a great move for him. 

The Heat needed a player like him.  The Cavs.. not so much.

He can start and lose while he is on the nets though? How is he going to start on the Heat again? Wade at the 2 and Deng at the 3 already..

[HiggiePiggy]

True, but they won't win a title with him either unless he quits meddling.

They would have won last year if Irving and love were healthy for the finals.  Heck they almost won anyway with both of them on the bench. 

[Inhogswetrust]

A lot of people might forfeit 3 mil to get out of Brooklyn....................

[1highhog]

They would have won last year if Irving and love were healthy for the finals.  Heck they almost won anyway with both of them on the bench. 

Answer me honestly, do you think the Cavs have a snowballs chance in hell of beating the Warriors in the finals this year if the Cavs have all their players healthy?  My answer, No.

[Inhogswetrust]

Pop has won more NBA championships with only one HOF than Phil did.

I'm betting he has more than one.....................

[HOGINTENNESSEE]

I'm betting he has more than one.....................

? You think Tony Parker and his 6 all stars is a HOF? That's less than Joe Johnson

Pop only won 2 of his 5 with Robinson and TD

[Pig in the Pokey]

I think he could average around 11 ppg in Cleveland.  He'd be a great addition to their Big 3.

i'm no Cleveland fan but if he goes there, they would at least have somebody CLUTCH on the squad.

[3kgthog]

I'm still wondering why he's likely headed to Miami. I thought he left that money on the table for a shot at a ring, but the Heat have no shot.

[Illinihog]

Living here in Atlanta and watching most of his career.  It pains me but Joe is only looking out of Joe.  And on offense he is black hole.  He has to have the ball in his hands to generate his offense, that wouldn't work in Cleveland.  With the injuries Miami have it is a good chance for him to continue to pad his stats.

[daprospecta]

Living here in Atlanta and watching most of his career.  It pains me but Joe is only looking out of Joe.  And on offense he is black hole.  He has to have the ball in his hands to generate his offense, that wouldn't work in Cleveland.  With the injuries Miami have it is a good chance for him to continue to pad his stats.

Why would Joe like to pad his stats at this point? His big contract days are over along with him being an all-star as well.

[Atlhogfan1]

Living here in Atlanta and watching most of his career.  It pains me but Joe is only looking out of Joe.  And on offense he is black hole.  He has to have the ball in his hands to generate his offense, that wouldn't work in Cleveland.  With the injuries Miami have it is a good chance for him to continue to pad his stats.

Atlanta mentality.  One of the most unselfish, too unselfish, players of his era. 

[HiggiePiggy]

Answer me honestly, do you think the Cavs have a snowballs chance in hell of beating the Warriors in the finals this year if the Cavs have all their players healthy?  My answer, No.

If all are healthy then yes they have a real good chance just like last year if all were healthy they would have beaten them.  Lebron damn near won it for Cleveland with both of his big stars on the bench last year just ran out of gas in the end. 

[HiggiePiggy]

I'm still wondering why he's likely headed to Miami. I thought he left that money on the table for a shot at a ring, but the Heat have no shot.

Guess he really meant to say that he wanted to move to a team that plays in nice weather and can go to the playoffs. 

[SooiecidetillNuttgone]

LOL at Larry Brown.

LOL all you want.
It's  merely  opinion.
I watched  him perform  CPR time and time again on crud teams he built  into winners.

P.S.
I'll  never vote Phil "custom made to win without having to build or develop " Jackson.

Pop is probably the best or second, but certainly  not the zen charlatan.

[1highhog]

If all are healthy then yes they have a real good chance just like last year if all were healthy they would have beaten them.  Lebron damn near won it for Cleveland with both of his big stars on the bench last year just ran out of gas in the end. 

I'll take that bet this year.

[Inhogswetrust]

? You think Tony Parker and his 6 all stars is a HOF? That's less than Joe Johnson

Pop only won 2 of his 5 with Robinson and TD

I'd bet Tony makes it and maybe one other.

[HiggiePiggy]

I'll take that bet this year.

We will see when they meet in the finals unless San Antonio beats the Warriors for it.