Joe Johnson

After playing well in a part-season at a new position of power forward on the minimum salary for the Miami Heat down the stretch of the 2015-16, Johnson signed for big money the following summer to do the same for the Utah Jazz. In the first year with them, he did so, being a productive half court offensive player via a barrage of floaters and turnarounds. Last year, however, Johnson looked slowed, losing his scoring efficiency (a .542% true shooting mark plummeted to .490%) while being ever more attacked defensively. With career-lows in his advanced stats across the board, the Johnson of last season is no longer an NBA player. The Johnson of the year before, though, was. And so he may get one more contract if is believed that last year was just an aberration.

Joe Johnson
SF/PF – 6’7, 240lbs - 36 years old - 17 years of experience

Iso Joe was brought in for the late season run by the Rockets, having been traded by the Jazz and bought out without playing by the Kings. This, sadly, looks to be the end of the road though. For both Utah and Houston, Johnson was a big net negative this season.

For both teams, Johnson was a big hole to try and hide defensively. He has been for a few years, and in recent times it has been decided that the default power forward spot was the one to put him on. In reality, hiding Joe Johnson on defence meant putting him on the opposition’s weakest offensive player and not switching when that player immediately went and set about 85 ball screens. That is not a recipe for success.

It used to be worthwhile to do that Johnson when he would go back and get them on the other end. That Joe Johnson however left us this season. Johnson had no legs in his jump shot all year, and while he would still slowly spin in the lane and post up for his fallaways, the same lack of explosion stopped them going in much anymore. Short of creators, the Rockets at times asked Johnson to be a handler and creator, but that is not there anymore either. All the savvy in the world doesn’t mean much if you can’t run fast enough.

The downside to the well-intended Iso Joe nickname was always going to be that, when his ability to keep up with the NBA game went, so would Johnson’s career. He would not be able to extend his career by playing a low-usage, off-screens type of game. Never did, and never now will. It seems we have reached the end game, unless he can find one big second wind.

Player Plan: Expiring prorated minimum salary contract. Allow to leave.

Joe Johnson
SG/SF/PF, 6’7, 240lbs, 35 years old, 16 years of experience

Not able to get all the way to the rim any longer, Johnson’s game is either catch-and-shoot three-pointers, or mid-range jump shots and floats, both areas at which he is quite good in. The off-the-dribble or fall-away mid-ranger is not hugely inefficient; it is however hard to guard, and a reliable option in the half court. Johnson was a reliable piece of veteran savvy, and the career-low numbers are more representative of a reduced role born out of aging than anything else. Iso Joe can still get his, and in the playoffs too if needs be.

Player Plan: One year and $10,505,000 remaining. Let him play it out while grooming long term options for his spot.

[...] Ironically, Joe Johnson would be a somewhat perfect fit for Chicago right now. But unfortunately, Joe Johnson still has five years and $107,333,589 remaining on his maximum salary contract given to him by the Hawks, whom he just led to 44 wins and an ultimately rather purposeless second round exit. When the 29 year old fourth best player at his position gets the fifth biggest contract in the history of the sport, consider yourselves outbid.

In this current economic climate, NBA franchises are imploring to us that they're losing too much money and need to redraft the entire collective bargaining agreement, while also continuing to throw the gross national product of Micronesia at a whole host of players that don't deserve it. (Memphis are as guilty of this as anyone, with their wildly excessive max contract to Rudy Gay.) While complaining with one arse that their expenditure outweighs their income, owners are using their second arse to wildly overpay the underdeserving, greatly increasing that expenditure level while under pressure from nothing but their own aspirations. We're looking at an impending lockout a mere 11 months after learning that Johan Petro got an 8 figure contract. Joe Johnson got the fifth highest contract in the history of the sport. Rudy Gay got the max. Chewbacca lives on Endor. It does not make sense.

Jon Barry talks of whether the Hawks can "reshine Joe Johnson." It's true, JJ did rather lose his shine in the playoffs. Barry then correctly points out that the Hawks played far too much isolation basketball, but he believes the cure for his is a post-up threat. For me, the cure is a new playbook. The Hawks didn't NEED to play so much one on one basketball; Mike Woodson just made them do it. Get rid of that, and their offense should improve by default. Less switches on defense should help too.

[...] "Lacking only a superstar" would be a ridiculous statement were they not ideally set up to get one right now. In this precedent-free summer, an unbelievable number of superstars could or will be available via free agency, ranging from the best player in the world (LeBron James) to some of the game's very best big men (Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, Primoz Brezec, Carlos Boozer, even Yao Ming), all the way down to the superstar hometown boy (Dwyane Wade). There's also David Lee, one of the most maligned players in the NBA today, as well as Joe Johnson, who is guaranteed to be the next Jalen Rose for whoever signs him.