Suns trade Joe Johnson to Atlanta

http://www.azcentral.com/s****ts/suns/articles/0801suns0801.html

Phoenix will sign Johnson to Atlanta's terms and trade him to the Hawks
for
two-year guard Boris Diaw, two first-round picks (a protected Atlanta one
and another the Hawks acquired) and a $4.9 million trade exception that
can
be used to offset salary gaps in a future deal.

The arrow points both ways in the blame game. Johnson was upset that the
Suns would not give him $50 million over six years last summer and then
offered $60 million over five years last month as a counter to Atlanta's
maximum deal.

He had hoped Phoenix would open July with a huge offer, became upset when
he
was asked to choose between offers and rejected a Suns request to
restructure the $69.6 million.

His Atlanta deal will include a $20 million payment this month.

Johnson told several people that being a third option on the Suns was
"unacceptable." He re****tedly resented teammates' star treatment and
disliked Amaré Stoudemire after a March halftime incident in Miami.

After Dwyane Wade's 19-point half, Stoudemire barked at Johnson in front
of
the team: "Are you going to play any (expletive) defense?"

Stoudemire got seven shots in the next game and then sat out two with
ankle
inflammation. Johnson played his best ball after that but told friends he
would never re-sign.