Critics, and even some admirers, always include the addendum that serves to undercut whatever praise of Joe Johnson just came before.
But that contract ...
Johnson is a five-time All-Star, a tough 6-foot-7 guard who can handle the ball and score from anywhere on the court. He’s very good, but is he $124 million good?
The Hawks took a chance when they traded for Johnson and paid him $70 million in 2005. He had never been a lead guard, but he blossomed in Atlanta as the Hawks earned hard-fought credibility.
But what about that contract that will pay Johnson more than LeBron James and Dwyane Wade?
On and on it’s gone since Johnson signed the richest deal in the NBA in the summer of 2010. Over and over Johnson has been asked if he feels pressure to live up to that deal.
He always answers the same way.
“I don’t feel no pressure at all,” Johnson said on the eve of his seventh season in Atlanta. “I try to do the things I have been doing over my career, period. Just come out and play the game the way I know how to play.”
That’s another thing: Johnson’s detractors probably would have carped about the contract even if he played up to his usual standards in 2010-11. When he didn’t, the criticisms grew louder.
Johnson had a burst of fine performances from January until the All-Star break. There were hints of brilliance during the playoffs.
But, ultimately, Chicago’s brigade of tough defenders swarmed Johnson in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He couldn’t respond.
“I know it’s the worst season I’ve had since I got here,” Johnson said. “Even though we went further, I thought the playoffs was just decent. Still not where I should have been. I am going to do whatever I can to change that.”
During Atlanta’s training camp, there was a feeling that Johnson is going to do just that. It’s not based on anything Johnson says — even those closest to him often don’t know what’s on his mind — but rather something about the way he’s going about his business.
Always a gym rat and workout fiend, the NBA lockout provided Johnson even more time for conditioning. He showed up for training camp 10 pounds lighter than his heaviest weight last season and looks quicker. Johnson also is healthier after an elbow injury derailed him last season.
“Just from watching him play and the decisions he’s making and how hard he is practicing,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said, “he has come back with a different attitude.”
The scrutiny of Johnson’s contract won’t go away. He’s still owed roughly $107 million over the next five seasons, second in the league to Lakers star Kobe Bryant (not counting option years for Miami’s James, Wade and Chris Bosh).
When Hawks owners re-signed Johnson last year, they said it was as much about avoiding a step back for the team as it was Johnson’s market value. Johnson had other big offers, and Atlanta wouldn’t have been able to replace him with a comparable player under salary-cap rules.
Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said Johnson’s worth should be judged within the context of how far the Hawks go.
“I think what justifies that contract is the success of the team,” Gearon said. “We had the best playoff success we’ve had in our tenure as owners last year.”
Chicago beat the Hawks four games to two in the East semifinals last spring, the first time in their past six tries that the Hawks won more than one game in the second round. The Hawks have never advanced to the Eastern Conference finals since moving to Atlanta in 1968, so Johnson’s task is to lead them there.
The contract plays into that storyline, too, most obviously because it puts the spotlight on Johnson. But it also means the Hawks couldn’t re-sign Jamal Crawford or add other high-priced players without paying the luxury tax.
There’s a subtle change in tone for Johnson. Before and during last year’s playoffs, Johnson said he carried no more responsibility than his teammates for the Hawks’ success, but now it seems as if he’s taking on more of the load.
Johnson has prepared for that by working harder. He said he honed his shooting, ball-handling and free-throw shooting in the offseason even though he’s already good at those things.
“It’s easy to be good, but it’s hard to be great,” Johnson said. “I want to be great. In order for me to do that, I am going to have to keep working, keep practicing to get better.”
Greatness for Johnson and the Hawks may be the only thing that quiets the talk about his contract.
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