Had the trade gone through, I'm skeptical the Rockets would have ventured back into luxury tax territory having worked so hard to get under it. Now being stuck in Taxland, perhaps they would be more amenable to cutting someone and signing JJ?
We should offer him a starting spot and guaranteed minutes for the rest of the year. Ariza could either go to the bench or start at the 4. Brewer could see a blessed reduction in minutes... Not sure why he would come here though
I haven't red a single post in this thread, but let me guess: 70% want it to happen, 20% don't care, because season's lost already, 9% don't want him and 1% knows that Joe Johnson isn't even considering Houston seriously if there's Cavs' offer on the line. Do you really think he'd want to come to Houston when he's bought out from Nets?
If I were a friend/family member of JJ, I would tell him not to sign with the mess that is the Houston Rockets. He's not signing here, period.
We aren't getting JJ We are out of the playoffs currently, our team is a big chemistry mess. We also have two SF's in the rotation. The Cavs have a hole at the backup SF, they are favorites to win the East and playing on a winning team like that will boost his worth for his next contact this off season. No reason for JJ to come to Houston
Would love to have Joe on this team and move Ariza to the 4, but lets be realistic. I don't see how Joe would choose Houston over OKC and Cleveland. Seems destined for either of those teams. The other part of me is, this team is going nowhere. Rockets need to miss the playoffs to get their pick back and reset the roster this summer.
"Joe Johnson is interested in signing with the Atlanta Hawks if he's bought-out by the Brooklyn Nets."
JJ always had a fantastic handle and vision for a guy who's legitimately pushing 6'7" 240. He could be (a makeshift version) of that off-ball playmaker we need next to Harden. Plus he's been shooting the ball very well in the last two months.
I was actually hoping since Dec. that the Rockets could have put together a deal to move Brewer, Lawson, & filler for JJ & min salary. Would have cleared future cap with moving Brewer, got Lawson off the team as soon as we knew it wasn't going to work out, and got the Rockets a solid bench scorer. JJ is probably better suited now for a Jamal Crawford type of role where if he's not on he doesn't kill you. But it is what it is. Its probably too late to think that even a JJ type can make any impact. This team needs an offseason to move players, and reshuffle the decks... and a serious new seasoned coach who can get this turned around.
