Hang-up with Joe Johnson trade

[Kori Ellis]

ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns ran into "procedural issue" Tuesday, holding up a sign-and-trade deal that would send guard Joe Johnson to the Hawks.

The Hawks wouldn't reveal the nature of the hang-up, but said the deal had not been finalized.

"At this time, there is a procedural issue regarding the reported deal with Atlanta and Phoenix that needs to be resolved," Atlanta general manager Billy Knight said in a statement released through a team spokesman. "That's all I can say at this time."

[timvp]

The whole city of Phoenix better get out their rosary beads and pray this traded doesn't go down.

[picnroll]

Sarver can't sign, Colangelo is strangling him.

[exstatic]

I'll bet it's the two #1s. They can't be in consecutive years, so there will have to be language to that effect.

[Notorious H.O.P.]

Teams can't trade their own first rounder in consecutive years. But they are getting around it by putting up one of the first rounders acquired from another team combined with the Hawks own lottery protected pick. As far as I know, the Hawks don't owe anyone a first rounder that may affect this deal. Does anyone else know if this is the case?

[NASHville]

Is an NBA title not the ultimate goal?

[xcoriate]

Flash thats the biggest load of shit I've ever read.

[190 Octane]

Is an NBA title not the ultimate goal?

Um, is this some sort of rhetorical question?

[T Park]

Is an NBA title not the ultimate goal?


you tellin me trading away your second best overall player makes your team better???

Interesting...........

[TheTruth]

PG - Nash
SG - Bell
SF - Marion
PF - Amare
C - Kurt

Not the run and gun team they had last year, but still looking pretty good.
Still no bench though.

[2centsworth]

you tellin me trading away your second best overall player makes your team better???

Interesting...........
When did JJ become the 2nd best player? Is he better than the MVP or Amare?

[Russ]

I actually like this trade for Phoenix. First, they avoid overpaying JJ and strapping themselves for years. They also get two number ones from Atalanta -- likely to be great picks. Then they get Diaw who may yet work out.

With Amare in tow, Phoenix could become a long-term threat if this trade goes down. Hopefully it won't and Phoenix will get stuck with JJ or get nothing for him.

[Joesteds]

Phoenix is stuck, sure they won't be ass good as last year, but do you really wanna lock up a career average player that only blossomed in his contract year. I mean honestly there are probably 5-10 arguably better shooting guards in the league right now and this guy should not make the max. However, Nash is just getting older and older and without JJ there right now, they are essentially using up Nash's best years on a team that won't win it. So do you kill yourself for the future or try to remain stable now and then build around the freak Amare.

[picnroll]

Johnson deal hits a snag
Hawks' co-owner Belkin hasn't signed off on trade

By SEKOU SMITH and TIM TUCKER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/03/05
The Hawks' pending deal for Joe Johnson hit a snag Tuesday because one of the team owners, Steve Belkin, has not signed off on completing it, two people familiar with the situation said.

The team's other owners and management are in favor of the deal. Belkin plays a pivotal role as the team's NBA Governor. The NBA requires the governor's endorsement on a deal before it can go through.

Calls to Belkin's home and cell phone were not returned Tuesday night.

Indications are that Phoenix wants to complete the deal. Team president Bernie Mullin, reached at home Tuesday night, declined comment.

Reached in Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon, Hawks general manager Billy Knight admitted there was a procedural "snag," but expressed hope the deal will be completed.

"There are some things we have to work out, some things that have to be taken care of," Knight said. "But we'll get it taken care of and move on."

Suns president Bryan Colangelo would not comment on the deal "until our business is complete."

The Hawks and Suns agreed in principle to the sign-and-trade deal Sunday. The Hawks get Johnson for five years and $70 million, in exchange for Boris Diaw and two future lottery-protected draft picks. The Suns would also receive a trade exception of about $10 million.

The 6-foot-8 Johnson, averaged 17.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists last season for the Suns, who won a league-best 62 games and advanced to the Western Conference finals.

The Hawks also extended an offer sheet to Milwaukee center/forward Zaza Pachulia, like Johnson a restricted free agent. The Bucks have seven days to either match the four-year $4 million offer to Pachulia or lose him without compensation.

Colangelo told reporters in Phoenix Monday they had every intention of matching any offers to Johnson. But that was before he informed them late last week he wanted to play for the Hawks.

"The intention was to match. But we started hearing stuff about Joe not wanting to come back which we didn't want to believe," Colangelo said. "What it really gets down to is this: how can you go ahead and match a contract that's $70 million for someone who tells you point blank that he'd rather be somewhere else? You can't do that. The risk is too high."

[ca®lo]

"The intention was to match. But we started hearing stuff about Joe not wanting to come back which we didn't want to believe," Colangelo said. "What it really gets down to is this: how can you go ahead and match a contract that's $70 million for someone who tells you point blank that he'd rather be somewhere else? You can't do that. The risk is too high."

yikes

[picnroll]

Talk about one f'd up franchise

Belkin wont say why he wont sign off.......

Hawks mum on delay for Johnson deal
Co-owner Belkin hasn't given approval for trade

By SEKOU SMITH, TIM TUCKER
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 08/03/05
The Hawks are still in Joe Johnson limbo, two days after a league-wide moratorium on signing free agents was lifted.

When business ended Wednesday the proposed sign-and-trade deal between the Hawks and Phoenix Suns wasn't completed, the process still being held up by Hawks part owner and NBA Governor Steve Belkin.

Belkin has yet to sign off on the deal agreed upon by the rest of the Hawks ownership and management and the Phoenix ownership group and management team.

The Boston-based Belkin remained mum on the matter Wednesday.

"Sorry, but I am not giving any comments at this time," he said in a late-morning e-mail. Asked again in late afternoon to address the situation, Belkin responded by e-mail: "I have now been informed the league has requested we make no comment and direct any inquiries to them. Sorry."

Calls to the NBA office were not returned Wednesday. Hawks part owners Bruce Levenson and Michael Gearon Jr. declined to comment on the situation.

That wasn't the case in Phoenix Wednesday, where the Suns' brass turned out for an introductory press conference to introduce the man who could eventually replace Johnson in their lineup, free agent guard Raja Bell.

"There are some limitations about the circumstances that we can't talk about," Phoenix president Bryan Colangelo said. "Atlanta is hopeful of resolving their internal issues by the weekend. That's all I can say."

The Suns made it clear Thursday that they'll either trade Johnson or match any offer sheet he signs, forcing the Hawks to either consummate the deal or risk losing Johnson altogether.

"They have their own hiccup," Colangelo said. "We're continuing to move forward with our business."

This is not the first time the Hawks' ownership situation has drawn league attention. In late April, NBA commissioner David Stern and a league committee met with three of the Hawks' owners — Belkin, Levenson and Gearon Jr. — to discuss discord within the partnership.

"They (the league) just said, 'Hey, you guys, work it out,'" Belkin said after the April meeting.

He also confirmed at the time there had been discussions about whether any of the Hawks-Thrashers owners would like to sell their stakes. Belkin asked the Atlanta- and Washington-based members of the group if they would like to sell to him; they said no and asked if Belkin would like to sell to them. He said no.

Belkin holds a 30 percent stake in the Atlanta Spirit LLC ownership group, while the Washington-based partners — principally Levenson and Ed Peskowitz — own 40 percent and the Atlanta-based partners — led by Gearon and Rutherford Seydel — own 30 percent.

The Hawks did receive a signed offer sheet Wednesday from Milwaukee restricted free agent center Zaza Pachulia. The Bucks have seven days to either match the offer or lose Pachulia to the Hawks.