Jamal Crawford:
Crawford is under contract for this season at a salary of $10.1 million. After earning the Sixth Man of the Year award last season, he told the Hawks he wants an extension and would rather play elsewhere if they don't oblige.
Crawford said he was leaving negotiations up to his agent and Hawks general manager Rick Sund. But does he think he will be in Atlanta for the near future?
“I honestly don’t know,” Crawford said. “I would love to work something out and be here long term. Last year I would have thought this was home and I’m part of the team’s future.
“But if it doesn’t work out that way, I guess we will just have to cross that bridge when we get there.”
Asked if he felt disrespected by the lack of an extension, Crawford said: “It’s not to that point yet.”
“I know these things take time,” he said. “I’ll just be patient and go with the flow.”
Crawford said he doesn't have a deadline for an extension offer but getting one before the start of the season “would be very nice.”
The team's second leading scorer last season, Crawford acknowledged that uncertainty about the collective bargaining agreement is playing a large part in his desire for an extension. The current CBA expires after this season and owners are seeking major concessions from players, who could face tighter salary restrictions in the new deal.
“A lot of it has to do with it,” Crawford said. “With the CBA, there is no telling what [happens].”
Joe Johnson:
udging by comments on Twitter, blogs and local talk radio, there are still plenty of Hawks fans still upset by Johnson's flippant comments following Game 6 against Orlando. Johnson didn't apologize or express regret the following day or during an interview shortly after he signed a six-year, $130 million contract.
He said he's not concerned about how Hawks fans will perceive him this season.
“Not at all,” Johnson said.
Does he think fans will “forgive and forget?”
“I hope so,” he said. “But all I’m going to do is come out and play hard and help us win.”
The Hawks return all of their rotation players from last season, when they won 53 games and earned the No. 3 seed in the East. Yet after the Magic dominated them in a four-game sweep, most media predictions this year put the Hawks a notch below Boston, Orlando and Miami in the East's pecking order.
Johnson, though, said he still considers the Hawks to be “one of the best teams in the East.” He said he's “not concerned” about Miami, which re-signed Dwyane Wade and added fellow stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh.
“Everything is played between the lines,” Johnson said. “It don't matter how much talent you have.”