# Joe Johnson: The Real Reason He Is Gone



## 22ryno (Mar 17, 2003)

From people close to the Suns players I heard that Joe was really close friends with Quentin Richardson and felt the Suns were disloyal and if he didn't play to their expectations he would suffer the same fait. He also didn't like that they gave no indication this was coming. Quentin didn't know until he was told by a fan. 

So Joe in turn went out and found the team that was willing to pay him the most money and telling the Suns he did not want them to match any offer. A mutual friend told me after Q was traded don't expect Joe to be around long. Surely a few months later it happened. While the NBA is business the Suns should have took into account the players relationships before making deals.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

22ryno said:


> From people close to the Suns players I heard that Joe was really close friends with Quentin Richardson and felt the Suns were disloyal and if he didn't play to their expectations he would suffer the same fait. He also didn't like that they gave no indication this was coming. Quentin didn't know until he was told by a fan.
> 
> So Joe in turn went out and found the team that was willing to pay him the most money and telling the Suns he did not want them to match any offer. A mutual friend told me after Q was traded don't expect Joe to be around long. Surely a few months later it happened. While the NBA is business the Suns should have took into account the players relationships before making deals.


No the real reason he is gone is because he thought 6 years and 75 million was undervaluing his amazing talents. Thankfully he found a team deluded enough to believe he was even worth more than that (6 years at 75 million was already overpay).


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

We offered him 6 yrs 75 mill when he said they would offer him 5 yrs 70 mill on the offer sheet. He wanted to take the 5 yrs 70 million to go to the Hawks so he said not to match. I think he left cuz he felt upset about us not signing him last winter. But there seems to be a story every week saying the true story. I don't think it has to do with Q really. It's like One Joe to Live. A soap opera.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

No matter how you try and sugar coat it it comes back to JJ being a baby. For those who think calling him a baby is to harsh then call it him displaying childlike behavior.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Tiz said:


> No matter how you try and sugar coat it it comes back to JJ being a baby. For those who think calling him a baby is to harsh then call it him displaying childlike behavior.


 I sitll dont understand how being disrespected and wanting a larger role and wanting to be the man is being a baby. NO Phoenix fan has yet to properly relay a strong answer in that regard. You guys could have had him back last year at a cheaper value, so hes a baby asking for more money and wanting to have his OWN team?


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

I agree with BEEZ. He is not a baby. 

He has a huge ego and really isn't that commited to win as a great player should be, but I can't call him a baby for this.


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

Who cares. He's gone, it's over. Good luck to Joe, good luck to the Suns.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

I never said Joe is a baby or a bad guy. He's still one of my favorite players. I hope he does well and helps the Hawks as much as he can They're gonna be fun to watch this yr and next few yrs. I also hope he explodes to show he is worth that contract - which I think he is.

Just because a player wants to leave to be the man, doesn't mean he is a baby. Prolly a lot of factors into it that we don't understand. He loves the south being one of em. Prolly better place to start a family for him. Closer to Arkansas


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## Carbo04 (Apr 15, 2005)

I miss Joe, but he's gone. Baby, or not. 

I hope he does well with the Smith boys, Marvin, and Salim the 3 point machine.


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> Who cares. He's gone, it's over. Good luck to Joe, good luck to the Suns.


I care.

It's nice to discuss about this little things.


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## ShuHanGuanYu (Feb 3, 2005)

¹²³ said:


> I care.
> 
> It's nice to discuss about this little things.


Was adding my opinion to the discussion.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

Magic Johnson said this on a TV show a while ago. "What will keep teams from having rivalries is selfishness, Jelousy and greed" Thats pretty much what Johnson has except selfishness. Hes jelous of Nash, Amare and Marion. And he wants to be the best rather then be on the best team (greed)


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> Magic Johnson said this on a TV show a while ago. "What will keep teams from having rivalries is selfishness, Jelousy and greed" Thats pretty much what Johnson has except selfishness. Hes jelous of Nash, Amare and Marion. And he wants to be the best rather then be on the best team (greed)


You absolutely make 0 sense. Hes jealous of Nash, Amare and Marion. Why? When did wanting to be the best you can possibly be, turn into being a jealous basketball player?


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

He has been getting blasted here in the local press, TV and radio. 

The best had to be today on Power 92.3 the local hip-hop/R&B station. Little parody commercial. Booming voice. "Joe Johnson you are an a-hole. It was like you were dating a supermodel and now you are shacked up with Laquisha the 300lb prostitute who is 30cents shy on her next pack of Newports. Good luck Joe Johnson you're a f'in loser" This was about 2 in the afternoon, I am sure they will repeat it. :eek8:


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## THE MATRIX 31 (Jul 22, 2005)

I love u jj, why did u do this to all of us???? I dont know, but it doesnt matter, if he doesnt wanna be around for the championship, let him go...... were gonna all do this together with or without him and im gonna continue being the best Suns fan i can be, with or without him.....lets all stop talkin bout jj, hes old news


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## phxsunshine (Jul 26, 2005)

i can't believe this disloyalty i'm reading! why can't people just respect the fact that this man has the right to get as much money as he can? why can't anybody (not all of you) just support him? this remind of when carlos boozer took a raise and a new team and everybody was dissing him. this is some crap. if you all were in his position what would you have done?

JOE I DON"T BLAME YOU! I AIN"T HATIN" MAKE YA $$$


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

BEEZ said:


> You absolutely make 0 sense. Hes jealous of Nash, Amare and Marion. Why? When did wanting to be the best you can possibly be, turn into being a jealous basketball player?




1) He was jealous of Nash, Amare and Marion cause he wanted to be an all-star. And playing behind those guys it most likely wasnt gonna happen. And 2) Giving up being on 1 of the best teams in the NBA just so you can try to get more attention and be a "superstar" is simply greed.


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

I can live with the "more money" explanation. I just don't like the "wanting to be the man" one.


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## Showtime87 (Jun 27, 2005)

I don't know about these rumors, but from my pov what this really came down to was money. The Suns had to leave some cap space for the rest of the roster. On top of Nash, Thomas and Marion's contracts the Suns will have to give Stoudemire a max deal in two more years. Those contracts will amount to a minimum of 50 million dollars which will be committed to only four players in the 2007-08 season. So, either it was sign Johnson and move Marion along or let JJ go for the best possible deal they could get, which in my opinion is exactly what they did. Diaw will be a solid contributor who is very highly touted and Bell whom they signed coming off of a career year with Utah will also surprise a lot of Phoenix fans and help ease the loss of Johnson. I'm by no means a Suns fan, but I do feel that even with the loss of Johnson and Q, the additions of Thomas, Diaw and Bell are addition by subtraction.


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## Kekai (Jan 12, 2005)

ShuHanGuanYu said:


> Who cares. He's gone, it's over. Good luck to Joe, good luck to the Suns.


Amen to that brotha


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> 1) He was jealous of Nash, Amare and Marion cause he wanted to be an all-star. And playing behind those guys it most likely wasnt gonna happen. And 2) Giving up being on 1 of the best teams in the NBA just so you can try to get more attention and be a "superstar" is simply greed.


 Your post still makes no sense. He was jealous because they were all-stars? How? Why? How was he playing behind them went he was the starting 2 guard? So you are still basically saying that him wanting to improve himself on his own is being greedy. You sir have alot to learn if thats the case and judging by your age I can definitely understand


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> 1) He was jealous of Nash, Amare and Marion cause he wanted to be an all-star. And playing behind those guys it most likely wasnt gonna happen. And 2) Giving up being on 1 of the best teams in the NBA just so you can try to get more attention and be a "superstar" is simply greed.


so any free agent that doesn't sign with a good team is greedy and jealous right? maybe he wants the challenge of making the hawks good instead of staying with the suns who are already good(when he is there)? what about that? would that make him a baby?


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

HE WANTS TO BE AN ALL-STAR! How hard is that to understand? Giving up being on one of the best NBA teams for a few extra million is absolutely greed. He could of almost got the same amout of money playing for Phoenix. But no, he went to the worst team in the NBA. Its very simple to understand.........for some.


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## tempe85 (Jan 7, 2005)

Listen... you can't really blame JJ for what he did. Heck if I was in the same situation I would have been very tempted to do the same thing. First off he's getting a lot of guarnteed money, which is huge when you play a sport where one injury could end your career. Secondly he's going to have a chance to be "the man". That's every players dream, to lead a team. Sure the Hawks suck but if he can turn them around then he'll be the one everyone will talk about. Thirdly he now lives really close to home. From what I've heard Joe is a very big family man and hangs out with his family members all the time. Those are three pretty good reasons for what he did. 

That being said I think Joe didn't just do this without thinking of the other side. He'd be stupid to think he's going to a better team by joining to the Hawks. I'm sure winning is important to him but the other situation was far better for him. And whose to say they'll never become winners in Atlanta? Things change pretty quickly in sports of today. I'm sure a lot of you forgot how crappy the Spurs used to be, or the Kings, or the Mavs. Ten years ago the top teams of today were merely bottom feeders. In the NFL the Panthers once went 1-15 only to make the Super Bowl two years later. Joe has his chance. It's up to him.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> HE WANTS TO BE AN ALL-STAR! How hard is that to understand? Giving up being on one of the best NBA teams for a few extra million is absolutely greed. He could of almost got the same amout of money playing for Phoenix. But no, he went to the worst team in the NBA. Its very simple to understand.........for some.


 I guess you will never take on challenges in your life because according to your train of thinking, you will just get in line with whatever anybody says no matter what. Thats the behavior of sheeps and cattle and weak minded individuals. Do you fall into that category?


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> HE WANTS TO BE AN ALL-STAR! How hard is that to understand? Giving up being on one of the best NBA teams for a few extra million is absolutely greed. He could of almost got the same amout of money playing for Phoenix. But no, he went to the worst team in the NBA. Its very simple to understand.........for some.


it's greedy to want to be an allstar and help try to take the worst team in the nba to the playoffs?


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

When you're on the one of the best teams in the NBA and the verge of going to the promise land............yeah its greedy.


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## phxsunshine (Jul 26, 2005)

SunsFan57 said:


> When you're on the one of the best teams in the NBA and the verge of going to the promise land............yeah its greedy.


i disagree. maybe he wants a challenge. they can win without him, don't get me wrong he is a big part of thier winning put they can find someone else to fill his shoes in phoenix. its unselfishness that you are mistaken for greed homie.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> When you're on the one of the best teams in the NBA and the verge of going to the promise land............yeah its greedy.


 Nice non answer. Dont worry you can stop trying now


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Hope no one thinks he represents the voice of all the Suns fans on this board. We got a bad rep as it is (which is not all warranted), without some of his comments.


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## Seuss (Aug 19, 2005)

BEEZ said:


> I guess you will never take on challenges in your life because according to your train of thinking, you will just get in line with whatever anybody says no matter what. Thats the behavior of sheeps and cattle and weak minded individuals. Do you fall into that category?



BEEZ, no one likes repeating themselves.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> BEEZ, no one likes repeating themselves.


 Its not that you are repeating yourself, you clearly either cant answer the question logically, or just dont understand the concept, something that I cant help you with. Im being honest. If you have 3 or 4 different posters trying to "help" you understand a point and you are ignoring it, the issue lies within yourself.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

OK what is being debated here?


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## Ron Mexico (Feb 14, 2004)

I would be mad too traded a good friend for Kurt Thomas a 6'9 235 pound PF? or C? :no:


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Tiz said:


> OK what is being debated here?



Sunsfan57 said Joe has an ego and is a baby for wanting to be the man and go to Atlanta. Beez is trying to show him how he's not which went into other things.


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## Dissonance (Jul 21, 2004)

Ron Mexico said:


> I would be mad too traded a good friend for Kurt Thomas a 6'9 235 pound PF? or C? :no:


I dont know if that report is true. I think last winter, when we didn't sign him after putting money into Nash and Q was reasons why he was upset, and then offering him a 60 mill deal in this summer secured him gone. Prolly felt like he wasn't being apperciated.

Thomas will play at PF. 


p.s Nice avatar.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

dissonance19 said:


> Sunsfan57 said Joe has an ego and is a baby for wanting to be the man and go to Atlanta. Beez is trying to show him how he's not which went into other things.


Well I must say I tend to agree with SF57 a little bit, maybe he just isn't stating things the best way possible. Neither is beez for that matter. 

I have used the term "baby" when referring to this stuff with JJ, though I should probably rephrase that to Childish. That is just how all the stuff we get in the press comes across to me imvho. There have been so many reports as to why he left and I know only JJ truly knows why he made the decision he did. I hope he has fun in Atlanta and helps them out because they obviously need it. I will make it a point of going to see the game when we play Atlanta since they don't have any nationally televised games that will the only way to see JJ this year.

As i mentioned above we have heard so many reasons why JJ left, here are the reasons I can recall in no particular order:

1. He did not want to be the 4th option on the team - OK but you are talking about being the 4th option and future 2nd option on a championship contender. I am sure guys like Fox, Horry and Fisher had no problem playing second fiddle to Shaq & Kobe, and trust me JJ is no Horry.

2. He wanted to be a Superstar and the goto guy - see above. OK so now you are the Superstar on the Hawks. A perennial lottery team with zeero nationally televised games. Kind of hard to reach true superstar staus given the situation that no one outside of Atlanta will get a chance to see you play on a regular basis.

3. He was upset about the inability to get his extension last year - OK I can give JJ this one and they should have resigned him then. But Sarver was new to ownership and still learning the ropes, he had also just committeed a bunch of money to bring in Nash and Q and was a little gun shy about committing more money at the time.

4. He was upset about the lowballing on the contract talks this year - I am sorry but an offer of 6 years and 60mil is an excellent contract for someone of JJ's caliber and probably about 5-10mil more than he is worth. They had come back with a counter offer after Atlanta for $75mil which is way more than he is worth and he was still not happy. These are also negotiations so you have to expect mgmt to start with a low offer, that is just basic negotiation principles. Also with $75mil in the bank his kids and grandkids would never have to work a day in their lives. Any normal person with only $5mil sitting in the bank wouldn't have to work again, since your money is making you more money than 98% of the population makes in a year (5mil earning 8% interest is making you 400k per year). In your youth though it is money that matters the most and as you get older you realize that there is alot more to this world than the almighty dollar. Just go ask Malone or Ewing how badly they wanted a championship and how much money they would give back to have one.

5. He wants to be in the South and close to family - can't begrudge him for this, but come on, with $75mil in the bank you can move your entire family to Arizona. I can understand wanting his family close but like I said relocate them. Marion lives about a block away from me and he bought the house across the street from his house for his mom.

6. He was upset about Q getting traded - well too bad this is a business and they traded him to free up dollars to kepp JJ around. If JJ was upfroint with Sarver about his intention to go to Atlanta for the get go regardless of what the offer was I am certain that Q would still be a Sun. So Q leaving was JJ's own doing in a round about way.Him staying would have ultimately meant Marion would have gotten traded within the next 2 years to make cap room. But I guess he didn't take that into account.

Did I miss any of the reasons we have heard for him leaving and asking Sarver not to match the offer from Atlanta, basically forcing the trade? :cheers:


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Tiz said:


> Well I must say I tend to agree with SF57 a little bit, maybe he just isn't stating things the best way possible. Neither is beez for that matter.
> 
> I have used the term "baby" when referring to this stuff with JJ, though I should probably rephrase that to Childish. That is just how all the stuff we get in the press comes across to me imvho. There have been so many reports as to why he left and I know only JJ truly knows why he made the decision he did. I hope he has fun in Atlanta and helps them out because they obviously need it. I will make it a point of going to see the game when we play Atlanta since they don't have any nationally televised games that will the only way to see JJ this year.
> 
> ...


 Explain to me how much clearer can, HE may want a challenge. He may want to exapnd his game further being on another team where he can be the focal point and possibly turn a losing franchise around. What part of that is hard to understand? Why should he have to take into account what "other" have done to be on championship teams? Hes his own "MAN" and doesnt need to follow anyone. Nothing you just wrote clarified anything or anyway how JJ was being "childish" and moving on to another team.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

BEEZ said:


> Why should he have to take into account what "other" have done to be on championship teams? Hes his own "MAN" and doesnt need to follow anyone. Nothing you just wrote clarified anything or anyway how JJ was being "childish" and moving on to another team.


Your two statements are actullay what seals the deal and I could not think of two more child like attitudes theat define this situation (if you even want to bother calling it that, since this whole thing is actually pretty funny). Not caring about the team & only thinking about yourself. Also an unwillingness to learn from those who have made similar mistakes in the past.

But the one that reallysees the door is just being in it for the money. Obviously NBA players need to be compensated for their talents especially when considering the amount of revenue they generate. But when you get to the point of complaining about the difference between $10 mil and $14 mil it is pretty ludicrous. While it seems like alot of money to most people in reality it is not to people making that much money (Oh no I can only buy 2 new Escalades every month this year instead of 4).


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Tiz said:


> Your two statements are actullay what seals the deal and I could not think of two more child like attitudes theat define this situation (if you even want to bother calling it that, since this whole thing is actually pretty funny). Not caring about the team & only thinking about yourself. Also an unwillingness to learn from those who have made similar mistakes in the past.
> 
> But the one that reallysees the door is just being in it for the money. Obviously NBA players need to be compensated for their talents especially when considering the amount of revenue they generate. But when you get to the point of complaining about the difference between $10 mil and $14 mil it is pretty ludicrous. While it seems like alot of money to most people in reality it is not to people making that much money (Oh no I can only buy 2 new Escalades every month this year instead of 4).


 This is funny. Bettering yourself as a player is now child like. Thats your arguement in its simplest form. Case in point Tracy McGrady per sey would not be the talent he is today if he stayed in toronto.


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

BEEZ said:


> Case in point Tracy McGrady per sey would not be the talent he is today if he stayed in toronto.


I think he would be better.


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## tone wone (Jan 30, 2003)

Tiz said:


> Your two statements are actullay what seals the deal and I could not think of two more child like attitudes theat define this situation (if you even want to bother calling it that, since this whole thing is actually pretty funny). Not caring about the team & only thinking about yourself. Also an unwillingness to learn from those who have made similar mistakes in the past.
> 
> But the one that reallysees the door is just being in it for the money. Obviously NBA players need to be compensated for their talents especially when considering the amount of revenue they generate. But when you get to the point of complaining about the difference between $10 mil and $14 mil it is pretty ludicrous. While it seems like alot of money to most people in reality it is not to people making that much money (Oh no I can only buy 2 new Escalades every month this year instead of 4).


 4mil dollar difference....3yrs later JJs missed out 12mil, 16, 20.... Please explain how thats not a lot of money.

I've seen some of your post in the past..and the posts of others claiming that he isn't really worth the money that Atlanta offered him...how so??? whats the difference between JJ now and Tracy McGrady back in 2000 other than JJs numbers being BETTER. Teams(orlando, miami, chicago) had no problems offering McGrady and his 15ppg 80mill that summer...JJ has that kind of talent....you said it in your post...he's the future #2 option on this team

IMO there's absolutely nothing wrong with wanting your own team and wanting a new challenge...simular to Kobe...just be prepared with everything that comes with it


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

¹²³ said:


> I think he would be better.


 I dont. It really wasnt until last year that Tracy stopped dominating the ball. VC dominated the ball early in his career and when Tracy got to Orlando he did the same. 2 guys dominating the ball wouldnt have worked.


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## tone wone (Jan 30, 2003)

¹²³ said:


> I think he would be better.


 who knows....but he would be half the star that he is now


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## chromekilla (Aug 21, 2005)

good luck to jj in atlanta good luck to the suns this season.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

It is not a matter of wanting to better himself, which I don't think he really has. It is the way in which he did it and how he has handled it (or at the least way his agents/advisors/hangers-on have handled this). The conversation he had with Sarver that led to the trade should have been had during his exit interview for the season. That way the team could have taken the appropriate action and not have been rushed into the trade and lost some ground in the FA market. Plus Q would probably still be here.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Tiz said:


> 1. He did not want to be the 4th option on the team - OK but you are talking about being the 4th option and future 2nd option on a championship contender. I am sure guys like Fox, Horry and Fisher had no problem playing second fiddle to Shaq & Kobe, and trust me JJ is no Horry.


joe johnson is a better player right now than horry has ever been.


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## Tiz (May 9, 2005)

rocketeer said:


> joe johnson is a better player right now than horry has ever been.


:rofl:
Horry has only been to the playoffs every year of his career and has 6 rings..so far.


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## rocketeer (Oct 7, 2002)

Tiz said:


> :rofl:
> Horry has only been to the playoffs every year of his career and has 6 rings..so far.


is horry better than any player that has never won a title?


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## PhatDaddy3100 (Jun 16, 2002)

tempe85 said:


> Listen... you can't really blame JJ for what he did. Heck if I was in the same situation I would have been very tempted to do the same thing. First off he's getting a lot of guarnteed money, which is huge when you play a sport where one injury could end your career. Secondly he's going to have a chance to be "the man". That's every players dream, to lead a team. Sure the Hawks suck but if he can turn them around then he'll be the one everyone will talk about. Thirdly he now lives really close to home. From what I've heard Joe is a very big family man and hangs out with his family members all the time. Those are three pretty good reasons for what he did.


You do realize that in the NBA all contractgs are gaurenteed? even if JJ gets an injury, he still gets his 70 million. If this was the NFL i would understand, but in the nba, your going to get your money no matter what.


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## BEEZ (Jun 12, 2002)

Tiz said:


> :rofl:
> Horry has only been to the playoffs every year of his career and has 6 rings..so far.


 And he has 6 championship rings which is great. Everyone doesnt have the luxury of doign that. But hes probably made 50 million on total contracts his entire career. Joe should not attempt to expand his game and "possible" future dominance to be a role player?


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## truth (Jul 16, 2002)

SunsFan57 said:


> Magic Johnson said this on a TV show a while ago. "What will keep teams from having rivalries is selfishness, Jelousy and greed" Thats pretty much what Johnson has except selfishness. Hes jelous of Nash, Amare and Marion. And he wants to be the best rather then be on the best team (greed)


I am still trying to figure out what Magics quote means....Did you mean to say rivalries or dynastys??

Or are you saying teams dont have rivalrys because players are selfish and greedy and they jump teams,therefore rivalries dont exist anymore??

Very odd statement


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