Johnson will ‘let my body heal up’

Hawks captain Joe Johnson played more minutes during the regular season than any other player in the NBA.

He didn’t realize what kind of toll that volume of work can take on the body until Tuesday morning, when he woke up and realized that it was all over.

So don’t expect him to head to the gym immediately for workouts, which he did in his first two seasons when the Hawks didn’t make the postseason.

“I’ve got to get off my feet a little bit and let my body heal up,” Johnson said Tuesday as the Hawks cleared out their lockers the day after their season ended in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. “I’ll get back at it here pretty soon. But right now, I know I could use the rest.”

In the past, Johnson has been the most vigilant of the Hawks about resuming his offseason activity as soon as possible. But clearly, his battery needs recharging after logging a staggering 3,124 minutes during the regular season.

“I haven’t made any plans,” said Johnson, who is heading into the final year of his contract. “The season just ended yesterday, and really, I didn’t expect for it to end so soon. We had a productive year, making it to the second round. That’s just another leap and bound we made from last year.”

He didn’t even sound interested in watching any more playoff basketball after being humbled by Cleveland in four games.

“I’ve had my playoff fun,” he said. “We had a great run. I enjoyed it. The first round going seven game and then facing Cleveland in the second round … I’ve had enough playoff basketball. I’ll watch it occasionally, if I happen to stumble up on a game. But I won’t be looking forward to anything.”

Bibby hitting weights

Not everyone was as eager as Johnson to hang up his sneakers and practice gear Tuesday.

Point guard Mike Bibby, who will be a free agent this summer, hit the weight room for a quick session after his exit interviews with coach Mike Woodson and general manager Rick Sund.

“I’m just getting my work in,” a smiling Bibby said as he passed through the hallway outside the Hawks’ locker room on his way. “You can’t ever stop working.”

Woodson clear on status

Johnson isn’t the only one heading into the final year of his contract. Woodson is, too. He said he feels good about his status heading into that final year.

“I’m still the coach of the Hawks,” he said. “Only you guys seem to worry about that. Really, I don’t. I never worry about my job because I think, just from a coaching standpoint, I try to do the best that I can do. I make mistakes just like all coaches do. But I was paid to come here and do a job, and I think our team is headed in the right direction.”

Claxton a no-show

Point guard Speedy Claxton did not attend the team’s mandatory 10 a.m. meeting Tuesday.

By not making it, he may have cleared up the one lingering questions about the roster heading into the summer.

After three injury-ravaged seasons, he’ll be in the final year of his contract this summer. Claxton has talked openly about pursuing his opportunity to play the final year of his contract elsewhere. “I haven’t spoken with Speedy,” Woodson said, “So I can’t tell you anything more …”