What are the odds that the Suns can sign JJ in the off season

[Lefty]

Was watching the postgame tonight and Magic was saying how he thinks there could be 14 teams after Joe. Do you guys think he will re-sign with the Suns?

 

[George O'Brien]

Remember three words: RESTRICTED FREE AGENT.

 

[elindholm]

Was watching the postgame tonight and Magic was saying how he thinks there could be 14 teams after Joe.

LOL, and what kind of money are those 14 teams going to offer? There are only a small handful with significant cap space.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Remember three words: RESTRICTED FREE AGENT.

True, but the Colangelos and Sarver don't seem like they're the type of people to match an offer if JJ asked them not to. I'm not really concerned about it, the only team I could see JJ going to is Cleveland and I'm sure his agent is warning him about LeBron's likely departure in a couple years. Most betting men would put the odds heavily in favor of JJ being in Phoenix next season.

 

[SASpursfan]

Mao you are correct. The fact that he is a restricted is gonna ward off most teams. But there are some owners who may offer some insane money to JJ. Will or can Colangelo match that offer?

Was Nash a restricted free agent this past year?

 

[green machine]

Mao you are correct. The fact that he is a restricted is gonna ward off most teams. But there are some owners who may offer some insane money to JJ. Will or can Colangelo match that offer?

Was Nash a restricted free agent this past year?

Nash was not, but he gave Cuban the chance to match the Suns' offer. Now, Q on the other hand, was a restricted free agent.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

Mao you are correct. The fact that he is a restricted is gonna ward off most teams. But there are some owners who may offer some insane money to JJ. Will or can Colangelo match that offer?

Was Nash a restricted free agent this past year?

Colangelo/Sarver will match any contract JJ gets - especially since it will fall under the new CBA. If the offer gets to be too rich in year 2 or 3 - they will ship off someone else to cut payroll.

Once Nash starts to slow down in a few years, the Suns will be the JJ/Amare show with Nash doing his best John Stockton.

 

[PhxGametime]

True, but the Colangelos and Sarver don't seem like they're the type of people to match an offer if JJ asked them not to.

What team, with the money - has a better shot to win Title than the Suns? JJ will get as much money here as he would elsewhere...

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Colangelo/Sarver will match any contract JJ gets - especially since it will fall under the new CBA. If the offer gets to be too rich in year 2 or 3 - they will ship off someone else to cut payroll.

If I were JJ would I want to stay? Of course but nobody knows what's going through Joe's head right now. He could like what he hears from Larry Brown and LeBron. He could be tempted by some sorry squad like Atlanta or New Orleans essentially giving him the keys to the franchise. One thing's clear and it's that Joe intends to test the free agent market. Listen, I have already said many times before that I'm pretty confident JJ will be back, I just don't see how people can act like it's already written in stone.

 

[green machine]

If I were JJ would I want to stay? Of course but nobody knows what's going through Joe's head right now. He could like what he hears from Larry Brown and LeBron. He could be tempted by some sorry squad like Atlanta or New Orleans essentially giving him the keys to the franchise. One thing's clear and it's that Joe intends to test the free agent market. Listen, I have already said many times before that I'm pretty confident JJ will be back, I just don't see how people can act like it's already written in stone.

Well in the end it's less about what JJ wants and more what the Suns want to do. If they want to have JJ next year, then it's a lock that they will.

 

[cly2tw]

Suns is the best situation for Joe if the money is right. Joe is not LBJ or even Pierce kind of franchise player. He needs a gentle, loving environment around him, while being appreciated. In Phoenix, Amare is the franchise, Nash is the current MVP, who together carry the lion's share of responsibility. Without direct pressure on him, JJ can quietly perfect his game and earn the league-wide respect and appreciation nevertheless. He is not the guy with ego, even the Marion-kind of ego. So, he is best off here. No doubt.

 

[elindholm]

The only way that the Suns won't re-sign Johnson in the off-season is if a lockout/strike prevents any contracts from being signed.

The chance of Johnson playing for another NBA team next year is zero.

 

[scotsman13]

personally i dont have any doubts that joe johnson will be with the suns next year. the player that we could lose that would hurt us most is hunter. we dont have bird rights on him and he wants a bigger contract. the only thing we can do is use our MLE on him (if there is one).

 

[PHX2]

I think he'll be back in October...but the end fact still remains that money talks...

 

[asudevil83]

the suns will keep JJ. he's got the second brightest future of ANY guy on that team. if it takes dropping Q and Marion for talented role players to bolster the bench and cut overally payroll in the future, then so be it.

IF Sarver is concerned about an escalating payroll and either JJ or Marion has to go, i'd rather hold onto JJ. Remember, Sarver isnt the Billion Dollar Man, and stomaching 4 longterm, near max contracts is pretty outragious for many teams out there.

As far as Hunter goes. i honestly hope that he takes his player option. i could see him shopping himself around and looking for some good money. but if that money doesnt average out to more than he would get if he had taken the player option and then looked to resign for the NBA average salary, then he'd be smart to stay with the suns. i do wonder though what kind of money he'll be offered from around the league.

 

[Dan H]

For pete's sake, Bryan Colangelo has already publicly stated the Suns will match any offer for JJ. This has been posted multiple times in multiple threads with the same question.

JJ ain't going anywhere. Period.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

Well in the end it's less about what JJ wants and more what the Suns want to do. If they want to have JJ next year, then it's a lock that they will.

My point is that if Joe would rather play somewhere else, the Suns will probably let him do that. Colangelo and Sarver may be good businessmen, but they're also good people and if Joe came to them and said he wanted to play somewhere else for reasons other than monetary then I don't see the BC matching an offer. If Joe's reasons for leaving were only monetary then the Suns would match any offer, Sarver and BC have already said this.

Again, I find this situation very unlikely but I do think that saying the odds of JJ playing elsewhere next year is zero is pretty myopic considering nobody except Joe knows what he wants to do next year and he's seems pretty intent on testing the market.

 

[Cheesebeef]

My point is that if Joe would rather play somewhere else, the Suns will probably let him do that. Colangelo and Sarver may be good businessmen, but they're also good people and if Joe came to them and said he wanted to play somewhere else for reasons other than monetary then I don't see the BC matching an offer. But I do think if it was only monetary then the Suns would match any offer.

Again, I find this situation very unlikely but I do think that saying the odds of JJ playing elsewhere next year is zero is pretty myopic considering nobody except Joe knows what he wants to do next year.

I don't think so - at least not completely. If Joe wanted to play elsewhere after this season and we still retained his rights, you're for damn sure that we would HAVE to get somethin back in a sign and trade.

That being said, I don't think the Suns are so stupid as to see this kid finally reach his potential and then let him go.

 

[MaoTosiFanClub]

I don't think so - at least not completely. If Joe wanted to play elsewhere after this season and we still retained his rights, you're for damn sure that we would HAVE to get somethin back in a sign and trade.

That being said, I don't think the Suns are so stupid as to see this kid finally reach his potential and then let him go.

Yeah, I forgot to mention a sign-and-trade which BC would of course demand before he let Joe go for nothing. In fact, I'm sure BC has already leaked out some info suggesting he'll match any offer and that he'd have to get talent back in a S&T if Joe wanted to leave in order to drive some teams away. I find Joe leaving unlikely, like you I think he's way more valuable to the long-term success of this team than Marion. But I also think saying there's zero chance of it happening is a bit too much considering how set Joe seems on testing the market.

 

[elindholm]

If Johnson is very unhappy in Phoenix -- which I've seen and read absolutely no evidence of -- then he could theoretically take the one-year "escape" contract and become a UFA next summer. I consider that surpassingly unlikely, but it is technically possible.

 

[Joe Mama]

For pete's sake, Bryan Colangelo has already publicly stated the Suns will match any offer for JJ. This has been posted multiple times in multiple threads with the same question.

JJ ain't going anywhere. Period.

I would like you to find me that quote. Bryan Colangelo has not publicly stated the Suns will match any offer for JJ. He has said that re-signing JJ and extending Amare's contract are the top priorities this summer. There is a world of difference there.

The only way that the Suns won't re-sign Johnson in the off-season is if a lockout/strike prevents any contracts from being signed.

The chance of Johnson playing for another NBA team next year is zero.

I think it's more likely than not that the Phoenix Suns re-sign JJ. However I do think there's a very real chance that he goes somewhere else. I think the Suns will have to convince them that within the next couple years he's going to be the second option behind Amare Stoudemire. I don't see him being satisfied as the third or fourth option. I can see this being a problem was Shawn Marion as well although it's not the same problem because Marion is not a free agent.

Joe Mama

 

[coloradosun]

Joe, Joe, Joe

Knowing that the only way the Suns can resign Johnson is by matching an offer sheet is implying that they will match. Johnson will get an contract offer, we all know that. Some team will do what we did last year with Q, and hope we will not match. The Suns are going to let the market dictate his value instead of what they did in the past with Marion and Marbury.

I think that he is already the second option behind Amare. Nash gets his points off creating not calling out plays for himself. Marion gets points off the break and putbacks. Q just sits out at the line and gets opportunities from both Nash and JJ breaking down the defense, or Amare passing out of the low post. Also neither Q or Marion bring the ball up when Nash is sitting down, that in itself gives him the power to create opportunities for himself, what every great player wants to do. If he were in Cleveland's offense he would share the same type of role with LeBron.

 

[thegrahamcrackr]

I think it's more likely than not that the Phoenix Suns re-sign JJ. However I do think there's a very real chance that he goes somewhere else. I think the Suns will have to convince them that within the next couple years he's going to be the second option behind Amare Stoudemire. I don't see him being satisfied as the third or fourth option. I can see this being a problem was Shawn Marion as well although it's not the same problem because Marion is not a free agent.

Joe Mama

I agree with the concept, but I don't think that the Suns have to convince him of anything. In 3 years, Nash will not look to score a lot. Marion will be 30 - and losing his hops. With the current makeup, JJ would easily be the 2nd option - maybe as early as next season.

Anyways, the Suns don't have to convince Joe of anything. Taking an escape contract is too risky, and he is really good friends with his teammates. He will get the same money, so there isn't any incentive to leave. If he was really worried about touches, he could demand a trade in a few years if it doesn't work out.

 

[PetryJr]

I would like you to find me that quote. Bryan Colangelo has not publicly stated the Suns will match any offer for JJ. He has said that re-signing JJ and extending Amare's contract are the top priorities this summer. There is a world of difference there.
Joe Mama

ESPN Insider:

6. Joe Johnson, G, Suns (R)
JohnsonThe skinny: People talk about Redd and Allen as the league's premier shooters, but what about Johnson? He ranked second in the league in 3-point percentage this season and seventh in 3-pointers made. Yes, he gets a lot of open shots considering that most defenses are preoccupied trying to contain Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion and Steve Nash – but Johnson has proven repeatedly that he can take over a game when needed. The Suns want him back and own his restricted rights. Suns GM Bryan Colangelo told Insider several weeks ago that the team is prepared to match any offer for him. However, Johnson hasn't sounded so sure, and for good reason. The Suns have been trying to stay out of luxury-tax land, and paying Johnson a starting salary of $7-8 million per year will put them dangerously close to the threshold. Once the Suns extend Stoudemire to a max deal, their cap position could get out of control quickly starting in summer 2006. The Cavs will strongly consider Johnson if Redd doesn't sign with them. He's also likely to get some love from the Bobcats and possibly the Clippers. The Suns are hoping that the interest is limited and that they can re-sign him to a more modest deal. If a bidding war breaks out, the Suns might not be able to keep up.

 

[coloradosun]

Good investigative journalism (or webbing) PetryJr

The Luxury Tax issue will become a mute point, getting this close to the finals will throw any concerns about the budget out the window. Sarver will want to win a title for Jerry before he takes total control.

The quest for an NBA title ----priceless.

Just read an article on ESPN.com (June 1st 2:30 EST)from Mark Stien in regards to the Suns duplicating the success of the Spurs. It was too long of www to link to, so go there on your own.