After the Hawks were eliminated in embarassing fashion by the Orlando Magic, all signs pointed to a mutany in Atlanta. The coach (Mike Woodson) will likely be axed, and their best player (Joe Johnson) who just so happens to be a free agent, has likely played his last game there. Should Johnson leave, where will he go? We have narrowed down the 5 viable options.
1. Stay in Atlanta – Not the most likely choice right now, but still possible. The Hawks have the ability to offer Johnson big money, but does he want to be in Atlanta anymore? Most insiders feel that answer is no.
2. New York – The possibility of getting paid max dollars, playing alongside a bonafied star such as Chris Bosh or LeBron James, and reuniting with former coach Mike D’Antoni are all appealing to Joe. He would take the roster spot that Tracy McGrady held down for the Knicks the second half of the year, and insiders have told us T-Mac could be a choice to join the Hawks on a short term deal to replace Johnson.
3. Miami – The Heat, should they resign Dwyane Wade, will have Johnson as their third priority this offseason. Tops would be to see if they cold pair Wade and LeBron together. Secondly, the option of Chris Bosh is more attractive to Pat Riley than Johnson. However, having a backcourt that consisted of two top flight scorers would cause matchup problems throughout the league.
4. Dallas – Johnson and Dirk? Of course, Dallas would have to come to terms with both, but with a lineup that needs some slight tweaking, another go-to guy would be similar to when Kevin Garnett welcomed Ray Allen in Boston. Dallas would boast a “Big 3″ of Dirk, Joe Johsnon and Caron Butler/Jason Terry.
5. Chicago – Still a possibility, should the Bulls strike out on LeBron and Wade. The potential of pairing Derrick Rose with a talent like Johnson would make many coaches in the East worried.
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