[루머]피닉스 선즈 어쩌면 조 존슨을 애틀랜타 혹스로 가게 내버려둔다?

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JJ deal isn't time for Sarver to turn frugal

Jul. 15, 2005 12:00 AM

Suns season ticket renewals are due Monday, but an answer on Joe Johnson's future isn't. What seemed like a slam dunk days ago is looking more like a heave from half court because of Robert Sarver's growing concern about his team's payroll.

Caveat emptor. As you write that check today, know that the giddiness hangover of the postseason has been replaced by a vibe of uneasiness from several Suns officials who believe Johnson's return is no longer imminent.

The Atlanta Hawks are expected to sign the restricted free agent to an offer sheet worth approximately five years and $70 million on July 22. The Suns have the right to match the offer, and many assumed they would in order to keep much of last season's Western Conference title contender intact. But Sarver is concerned about the long-term implications the deal would have on his club, especially when Amar?Stoudemire's contract extension kicks in beginning with the 2006-07 season.

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If Johnson returns to the Suns, approximately $54 million would be committed to Johnson, Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash in 2006-07. With the reality of a salary cap and luxury tax - even when factoring in cap aids such as a midlevel exemption - the Suns will face challenges putting together a supporting cast. Sarver became a successful businessman by making decisions with his head, not his heart, and he has the bottom line and a profitability margin on his mind.

That's fine, except that the Suns have sent out signals for several months that closing a deal with Johnson was a priority. General Manager Bryan Colangelo said in April that "my priority No. 1 is to sign Joe Johnson. My other priority No. 1 is to sign Amar?Stoudemire to an extension."

Sarver has spoken many times of Johnson's greatness. Just two weeks ago, Stoudemire said: "I think the main thing right now is that we take care of Joe. I know Joe wants to be here."

Those remarks led many fans to commit money and emotions to Johnson's return. The Suns have sold about 2,500 new season tickets and expect to move another 500. That means nearly 12,000 season tickets to occupy an 18,422-seat arena, which could translate to quite a few sellouts.

Many of those fans wrote checks thinking Johnson would be back.

While some have suggested that Johnson might want to play for the Hawks, the truth is, it doesn't matter. As a restricted free agent, he belongs to the Suns if they match Atlanta's offer. And don't buy the suggestion that he could become a disruptive influence.

Not on a team with a unifying presence such as Nash. Not on a team that has a real chance to be successful.

Plus, Johnson's teammates like him and often have spoken in his defense regarding contract talks.

Which brings up another reason fans won't be too willing to cut Sarver slack if Johnson doesn't come back. The owner could have had him for about $20 million less if the team had signed Johnson to an extension a year ago.

"It wasn't the money to Joe in particular," Sarver said recently. "It was the money to the team in total not knowing what we had that was the key. Sometimes you make good decisions and sometimes you make bad decisions."

It's hard to believe losing two starters - Johnson and Quentin Richardson - from a team close to advancing to the NBA Finals would be a good decision.

And before they write any more checks, fans would like to know whether the Suns agree.

[To my PEJA]

사실 무리도 아니죠...아직은 슈퍼스타급스윙맨이 아닌 그에게 1400만을 안긴다는건 정말 위험한 딜일지도 모릅니다...그리고 미래를 생각해서라도 특히 아마레를 생각해서라도 그런 말도안되는 계약엔 심사숙고할필요가 있쬬..

[Clippers]

저같으면 그냥 보냅니다.

[멜로청년]

저렇게 비싸게 하면서 잡기에는 여러가지면에서 무리가 되는것이 정상이라 보여집니다

[Black]

저라도 아깝지만 보냅니다,,

[Tyson Chandler]

그럼 혹시...예상외로...커리와 존슨을 내주면서...그 셀러리를 모두 혹스에게로...???쿨럭...;;쿨럭..;;

[STAT]

보낸다면 사인앤트레이드 해야죠. 멕시멈을 줘서라도 보내기 싫지만, 어쩔수 없는 상황이라면 최대한 협상 잘해서 해링턴or칠드리스 + 07년 1라운드픽 정도는 얻어내길... 애틀이 07년에 꼴찌하면 oden을 뽑는겁니다 --; 해링턴은 팔아버리고 --;

[mskj]

이렇게 된다면 변수가 생겼네요. 14M으로 JJ를 잡는다고 가정하면, 달렘베어나 커리의 영입에도 변수가..