Joe Johnson Says He'll Take Less Money To Play For New York.

Toons

is the Bo$$
I hope Lebron follows suit

While waiting for their opportunity to sell LeBron James on their team, the New York Knicks will be busy courting other stars that could potentially play with him at Madison Square Garden.

Their first such meeting will be with Joe Johnson, the Atlanta Hawks' All-Star guard, according to league sources.

Johnson
Johnson

When the clock strikes midnight ET in New York on July 1, Knicks team president Donnie Walsh and coach Mike D'Antoni will be in Los Angeles meeting with Johnson, who will hold all of his meetings with clubs on the West Coast. The Knicks' brass will fly to northeast Ohio to woo James at 1 p.m. ET on Thursday.

While the Hawks hope to keep Johnson in Atlanta, several sources said the Knicks have emerged as his first choice. If they must lose him, the Hawks' preference is to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Knicks.

Stoudemire
Stoudemire

But if no players on the Knicks' roster appeal to Atlanta, Johnson, believing he will make up the difference through endorsements and through buying stock shares in Madison Square Garden, is willing to take less money to play with the Knicks, according to sources.

Whatever the case, the Knicks could offer Johnson a maximum-salary contract worth approximately $96 million over five years, or a deal worth $125 million over six years through a sign-and-trade.

Walsh and D'Antoni also hope to meet with Amare Stoudemire while in Los Angeles.

Johnson and Stoudemire emerged as star players while playing for D'Antoni in Phoenix, which is a large part of the reason both players are considering New York so strongly.

Johnson averaged double figures (16.7 ppg) for the first time in his career while playing for D'Antoni in the 2003-04 season. That same year, Stoudemire went from being a 13-point scorer to a 20-point scorer in D'Antoni's wide-open system.

While the Knicks' main target is James, the duo of Johnson and Stoudemire would be a nice consolation prize if James goes elsewhere. The team thinks James and Johnson would be a particularly strong tandem, and it believes that Johnson will talk to James about the benefits of joining forces in New York.

James' first meeting will be with the New Jersey Nets on the morning of July 1, followed by the Knicks and several other clubs over the next few days.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nba/news/story?id=5334060
 
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mafra

Legend
SIGN-N-TRADE would be great. Probably have to trade Chandler, but if it allows us to dump Curry's expiring contract, then this would be great news. We would get Johnson and still have about 30 million to go shopping.

That would mean Lebron PLUS something else (Tier-B free agent like David Lee or 2 tier-C free agents like Luke Ridnour, Travis Outlaw, Tyrus Thomas).

AND, if he signs quickly, that helps us sell the 2010 plan.
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
But if no players on the Knicks' roster appeal to Atlanta, Johnson, believing he will make up the difference through endorsements and through buying stock shares in Madison Square Garden, is willing to take less money to play with the Knicks, according to sources.

I thought this had already been deemed as illegal under the term 'salary cap circumvention'.
 

SSj4Wingzero

All Star
It can't be illegal...it's only illegal if the team itself offers shares of stock to the player.

If the player himself chooses to buy stock in a team, what's to stop him? It's called a free market...
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
It can't be illegal...it's only illegal if the team itself offers shares of stock to the player.

If the player himself chooses to buy stock in a team, what's to stop him? It's called a free market...
LeBron James can buy stock in the company that owns the Knicks, making theirs the potentially most lucrative deal the free-agent superstar can get, according to Forbes.com.

Forbes national editor Michael Ozanian writes, "I am telling you next season LeBron will be playing for the New York Knicks because this January they became the only franchise that can use their stock as currency."

The report says James can't be paid in MSG stock, but there's no limit on how much he can buy.

Right! I see. I thought this was considered a faux pas by Stern. Don't really know anything about stocks, but I'd buy some Cablevision stock if James signs here.
 

tiger0330

Legend
I thought this had already been deemed as illegal under the term 'salary cap circumvention'.
I think you're right, it's in one of those Lebron threads. Surprised me because I would have thought the player can invest his money anyway he sees fit but I guess the NBA doesn't see it that way.

I wouldn't pay JJ max money but the Knicks have put themselves in a box, they have to sign someone and probably will overpay. And a SnT for JJ for anyone but Curry I would definitely not do, 6 years of JJ is way too much w/o dumping a contract like Curry's.
 

mafra

Legend
I think you're right, it's in one of those Lebron threads. Surprised me because I would have thought the player can invest his money anyway he sees fit but I guess the NBA doesn't see it that way.

I wouldn't pay JJ max money but the Knicks have put themselves in a box, they have to sign someone and probably will overpay. And a SnT for JJ for anyone but Curry I would definitely not do, 6 years of JJ is way too much w/o dumping a contract like Curry's.


Amen. Paying 16 mil or so to a 35 yr-old JJ... gulp.

I would prefer to overpay and bring in Tyrus Thomas, bring back Lee and sign 2 other tier-C free agents (Salmons, Outlaw, Korver).
 

Crazy⑧s

Evacuee
I think you're right, it's in one of those Lebron threads. Surprised me because I would have thought the player can invest his money anyway he sees fit but I guess the NBA doesn't see it that way.

I wouldn't pay JJ max money but the Knicks have put themselves in a box, they have to sign someone and probably will overpay. And a SnT for JJ for anyone but Curry I would definitely not do, 6 years of JJ is way too much w/o dumping a contract like Curry's.

I can't see what stops his wife (or is it GF?) from buying up?

Where there's a law, there's a loophole.

Sorry Toons, I think I've changed the thread topic.
 

tiger0330

Legend
I can't see what stops his wife (or is it GF?) from buying up?

Where there's a law, there's a loophole.

Sorry Toons, I think I've changed the thread topic.
Depends how the NBA defines it but the crime of insider trading applies to your wife and all your relatives. You can't trade on inside info even if you steer the money through your 5th cousin.
 

NYKLiFER

Benchwarmer
???

Amen. Paying 16 mil or so to a 35 yr-old JJ... gulp.

I would prefer to overpay and bring in Tyrus Thomas, bring back Lee and sign 2 other tier-C free agents (Salmons, Outlaw, Korver).


Yea i would not want to max him out but, we may have to to entice someone like lebron
 

Ewing

Benchwarmer
That's the attitude that every player should have, take less money to play in the best franchise in the league, I'm totally against what we are trying to do with LeBron, is he our only hope or any kind of God?
We are the New York Knicks, the most valuable franchise in the NBA, players have the opportunity to play in the Mecca of basketball so we don't need to be the party that wants the any kind of players, they should want to play for Knicks.
Go after Joe and Wade Donnie and re-sign Lee!
 

goldenchild1688

Benchwarmer
i hope he takes less money. joe johnson is not good enough to be a teams best player which is why hes not worth max dollars. hes a all star talent but not a superstar. i dont even know how he could even ask for the max after his recent playoff showing
 

paris401

Starter
We are the New York Knicks, the most valuable franchise in the NBA, players have the opportunity to play in the Mecca of basketball so we don't need to be the party that wants the any kind of players, !


play in the mecca with who?? fat-fuk curry?? douglas??, walker?? sergio???
zepole??

i wish it wasn't true, but the guy (s) who sign here are doing so with one thing in mind... $$$$$$$.... not winning titles but $$$$$$$$...

agree or disagree, its one man's opinion and we all have one...
 

paris401

Starter
i hope he takes less money. joe johnson is not good enough to be a teams best player which is why hes not worth max dollars. hes a all star talent but not a superstar. i dont even know how he could even ask for the max after his recent playoff showing

he sure did blow in the playoffs...
 

NYKnuniversity

Benchwarmer
Rumors are flying, even these FAs don't know where they're going to wind up. I do know one thing, JJ is a whore, he's proven that. No way he goes anywhere to play for less money, he is the very definition of a guy that will go to the highest bidder even if its to some crappy team like the Clips.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=aw-johnsonmavericks062810
There's no real evidence to suggest that...but I'd agree to an extent. Hopefully we are wrong though. I'm starting to buy into the fact that a sign-and-trade for JJ would actually be in our BEST interest. Maybe the best case scenario even...

Why one might ask?

If we can include Curry in that sign and trade, then we free up an extra 11 mil in cap space to pursue two max free agents and still add JJ!!

PG- Douglas
SG- Johnson
SF- LeBron
PF- Gallo
C- Bosh

Really?

I'm excited.
 

SSj4Wingzero

All Star
Expiring contracts are assets. The Hawks have Josh Smith and Al Horford as their major players. If they have two expiring contracts they could trade for some good talent as teams are looking to dump salary all over the place.

Note: I'm not saying that the Hawks WILL do it, but they COULD do it.
 

dre48ny

Rotation player
JJ not worth a max, **** the NYK can never sign a top 3 player wtf!!
Are we cursed?
Wait til 2011 and see if we can make a splash with Tony Parker and Melo. It seems less likely that we get Bron and Bosh, so they should wait another year. They shouldnt just sign palyers for the heck of it. Maybe Stat this year, but not JJ.
JJ looked horrible in the palyoffs, not what we need.
 
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