Joe Johnson is out of the game
Atlanta's Joe Johnson drives past a Minnesota Timberwolves defender during a game at Philips Arena in Atlanta. (Feb. 24, 2010) Credit: AP
Superagent Arn Tellem breaks the news on his blog for the Huffington Post that Joe Johnson has decided to accept the Atlanta Hawks' six-year, $119M full max contract offer.
It leaves the Knicks to now focus on free agent Mike Miller (also a Tellem client), who is said to be very interested in teaming up with Mike D'Antoni in New York. But don't expect anything to be done on that front until the Knicks know for sure what LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are going to do.
If Miller winds up the player they get at the 2-spot, then you have to assume the Knicks have to put a greater emphasis in finding a high-end point guard who can score. Here's where the Tony Parker talk won't go away....and the Spurs know the Knicks are desperate. This may take a third team.
The Hornets have said they aren't moving Chris Paul any time soon, so that option isn't there right now. I know there have been rumors about Monta Ellis, but it is to my understanding that Ellis isn't all that high on the Knicks' list.
Gilbert Arenas? It may get to that point if all else fails.
The Knicks have plans to talk to free agents Raymond Felton and Luke Ridnour. Both are nice point guards, but without a true scoring threat in the backcourt, neither would really make the Knicks as formidable as they're going to need to be to compete for more than just one of the last playoff spots in the East, if that.
We saw David Lee had a long visit with the Timberwolves. What if David Kahn would agree to give Lee his full max and the Knicks could pull a sign-and-trade for - you guessed it - Ricky Rubio?
Of course Lee would have to want to go to Minnesota....
Meanwhile, our Kimberley Martin caught up with Amar'e Stoudemire at the Yankees game today. Click here for the story.
