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Inside Dish: Suns, Johnson shouldn't rush to extend deal
Sean Deveney /
The numbers put up by Suns SG Joe Johnson after the trade of SG Penny Hardaway in January were extraordinary--Johnson averaged 19.2 points, 5.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds after January 1. He attacked the basket, played better defense and showed an improved midrange game.
Sounds like a good time to lock him up with a contract extension, right?
He's coming off of his third year and is extension-eligible, but don't expect a deal. The Suns don't want to give Johnson a big contract based on four months after he spent two years underachieving. And Johnson knows a continuation of his second half performance will send his market value sky-high when he becomes a free agent, so he won't want to lock himself into a long-term contract. . . .
The Pistons got a good value in last year's draft when they picked Argentine SG Carlos Delfino, who is playing in Italy for Fortitudo, with the 25th pick. The team hoped to have Delfino in the fold next season, but Delfino might be having cold feet because rookie PF Darko Milicic and C Mehmet Okur are struggling for playing time in Detroit. Delfino shouldn't worry, though. Starting SG Richard Hamilton logs plenty of minutes, but Delfino would be his backup and would get playing time at small forward, too. . . .
One of Delfino's teammates in Italy is PG Milos Vujanic, whose rights belong to the Suns. Vujanic, a source says, is not exactly happy with Fortitudo--inconsistent minutes and a lack of a set rotation are holding him back. But the Suns will be patient with Vujanic because their first priority is to figure out how to use their cap space this summer. Vujanic probably warrants an affordable deal in the $1.5 million range, but Phoenix will watch every dollar. . . .
Timberwolves backup PG Troy Hudson is likely to opt out of the last year of his contract, a strange decision for a player who sat out much of the year with a recurring ankle injury. If he opts out, he'll be leaving $2.5 million on the table, and the T-wolves will be relieved. Teammates weren't happy Hudson didn't suit up for the playoffs, especially while they watched starting PG Sam Cassell fight through a back injury. As a free agent, Hudson probably wouldn't get much more than the $2.8 million he is scheduled to make, but he could get a longer-term contract. . . .
One cause for optimism in Minnesota is SF Ndudi Ebi, who admits he was clueless when the season began. But Ebi has made significant progress, working almost daily with G.M. Kevin McHale and scouting director Zarko Durisic. Ebi is one of the T-wolves' best athletes and was slow to pick up on the concept of hard work. But McHale and Durisic have hounded him, and he could be ready for playing time next year. . . .
The Hornets took a step in the right direction by hiring former Nets coach Byron Scott. The team still has plenty of issues, but giving Scott a three-year, $10 million contract helped management gain back some of the credibility it lost with players after low-balling Paul Silas and foisting Tim Floyd on the team. Scott says he plans to install a Princeton-style offense, which will benefit PG Baron Davis. Floyd tried to install the same type of offense, but it seemed to bog down, especially because the team lacked athleticism and wasn't listening much to Floyd.
Sean Deveney is a staff writer for the Sporting News. Email him at [email protected].
Sean Deveney /
The numbers put up by Suns SG Joe Johnson after the trade of SG Penny Hardaway in January were extraordinary--Johnson averaged 19.2 points, 5.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds after January 1. He attacked the basket, played better defense and showed an improved midrange game.
Sounds like a good time to lock him up with a contract extension, right?
He's coming off of his third year and is extension-eligible, but don't expect a deal. The Suns don't want to give Johnson a big contract based on four months after he spent two years underachieving. And Johnson knows a continuation of his second half performance will send his market value sky-high when he becomes a free agent, so he won't want to lock himself into a long-term contract. . . .
The Pistons got a good value in last year's draft when they picked Argentine SG Carlos Delfino, who is playing in Italy for Fortitudo, with the 25th pick. The team hoped to have Delfino in the fold next season, but Delfino might be having cold feet because rookie PF Darko Milicic and C Mehmet Okur are struggling for playing time in Detroit. Delfino shouldn't worry, though. Starting SG Richard Hamilton logs plenty of minutes, but Delfino would be his backup and would get playing time at small forward, too. . . .
One of Delfino's teammates in Italy is PG Milos Vujanic, whose rights belong to the Suns. Vujanic, a source says, is not exactly happy with Fortitudo--inconsistent minutes and a lack of a set rotation are holding him back. But the Suns will be patient with Vujanic because their first priority is to figure out how to use their cap space this summer. Vujanic probably warrants an affordable deal in the $1.5 million range, but Phoenix will watch every dollar. . . .
Timberwolves backup PG Troy Hudson is likely to opt out of the last year of his contract, a strange decision for a player who sat out much of the year with a recurring ankle injury. If he opts out, he'll be leaving $2.5 million on the table, and the T-wolves will be relieved. Teammates weren't happy Hudson didn't suit up for the playoffs, especially while they watched starting PG Sam Cassell fight through a back injury. As a free agent, Hudson probably wouldn't get much more than the $2.8 million he is scheduled to make, but he could get a longer-term contract. . . .
One cause for optimism in Minnesota is SF Ndudi Ebi, who admits he was clueless when the season began. But Ebi has made significant progress, working almost daily with G.M. Kevin McHale and scouting director Zarko Durisic. Ebi is one of the T-wolves' best athletes and was slow to pick up on the concept of hard work. But McHale and Durisic have hounded him, and he could be ready for playing time next year. . . .
The Hornets took a step in the right direction by hiring former Nets coach Byron Scott. The team still has plenty of issues, but giving Scott a three-year, $10 million contract helped management gain back some of the credibility it lost with players after low-balling Paul Silas and foisting Tim Floyd on the team. Scott says he plans to install a Princeton-style offense, which will benefit PG Baron Davis. Floyd tried to install the same type of offense, but it seemed to bog down, especially because the team lacked athleticism and wasn't listening much to Floyd.
Sean Deveney is a staff writer for the Sporting News. Email him at [email protected].
