Hawks maintain team's "foundation" by re-signing Johnson

By Michael Cunningham

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Hawks general manager Rick Sund believes the team has been “knocking on the door” for entrance into the exclusive club of elite teams in the NBA's Eastern Conference.

The Hawks wouldn't be able to break through without Joe Johnson, Sund said, so they did everything they could to make sure their free-agent guard returned to Atlanta.

Johnson signed his six-year, $124 million contract Thursday at the team's offices in downtown Atlanta. Johnson had agreed to the deal Sunday, but couldn't sign it until the league lifted its moratorium.

With Johnson back in the fold, Sund said the Hawks can continue with their momentum.

“We've come so far in the last couple years,” he said. “The last two seasons, we had the fourth- and third-best record in the Eastern Conference with one of the youngest teams. We got to the final eight teams two years in a row.

“We are knocking at the door, and it was a lot of fun. I think the fans and the players and the organization had a lot of fun in these last two years. We want to continue to go forward, and Joe is the foundation.”

The Hawks have built their team around Johnson since acquiring him in a sign-and-trade with Phoenix before the 2004-05 season. Since then he has been named to four All-Star teams while gradually leading the Hawks from doormats to a team that opponents take seriously.

His talent and accomplishments made Johnson one of the top free agents on the market this summer. The Knicks, Heat and Mavericks tried to persuade him to leave Atlanta, but Johnson signed with the Hawks, who could offer about $25 million more in salary than other teams.

“All along I pretty much felt like Atlanta was the place for me,” Johnson said. “I have had five great years here. I haven't regretted anything since I've been here. I've had a lot of fun.

“The team has improved every year. The ownership [has] done everything possible to improve as a team. I think right now, it is pretty much our time.”

Johnson, 29, said his initial meeting with the Hawks was brief. The two sides met shortly after the negotiating period opened, and the Hawks told him how much they wanted him back while outlining their plans to improve the team.

The Hawks offered Johnson the largest contract they could.

“He's one of the top four or five [shooting] guards in the league,” Sund said. “We are lucky to have him.”

Johnson's contract, which follows the $70 million deal he signed five years ago, is the richest in franchise history.

“Knowing [the owners] have my back like that makes me want to work even harder,” he said. “I'm sure I won't let them down.”

Johnson already is considered to be among the top players in the league. But now he will garner even more attention as one of its highest-paid players, especially since his deal has been roundly criticized by media.

Johnson said he hasn't seen or heard much of the criticism, but isn't worried about it. He knows the contract means expectations for him are even higher, but said he doesn't feel any added pressure.

“I know [criticism] is going to come,” he said. “I can't really worry about that. ... I am up for the challenge.”

More relevant to Johnson than media criticism are the hard feelings of Hawks fans. He drew their ire by saying he “could care less if they showed up or not” after they booed the Hawks during the playoffs.

Hard feelings about those comments seemed to contribute to the negative reaction to the news of the team's maximum contract offer. They took to Twitter, blog comments and talk radio to express their displeasure.

Johnson said Thursday he made the comments “in the heat of the moment” and that he was “speaking out of frustration.”

“There is nothing I can do about it now,” he said. “I just look forward to the season and getting out there and playing. This is my job, this is what I do. I am going to come out and try to have fun and hopefully change their minds.”