Joe Johnson: Where Could He Sign?

There's been so much talk about free agency, but it mostly has to do with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Amare Stoudemire, but we're all forgetting there are more star players than those in free agency. I want to bring up one in particular, Joe Johnson.

Johnson had a disappointing postseason with the Atlanta Hawks, and from the news I've heard coming out of Atlanta, it doesn't look like he'll be back with the Hawks....so now it's time to look at where he might be headed, so let's get this going.

1. New Jersey Nets

The Nets would be a very interesting option for Johnson, although might not be his first place to go because of the very young roster they have there. He would fit right in at shooting guard, taking over for Courtney Lee probably, and could be the number one option right away. Playing alongside Devin Harris could also be a draw for Johnson, because there would be another legit scorer on the team, which might give Johnson a little bit of breathing room, something he didn't have in Atlanta.

While the Nets do have a very young team, they also have blocks they are going to build around, and the #3 overall pick in the draft. Brook Lopez is a huge post presence, who is very good at playing the inside outside game with the perimeter players. The #3 pick, who many believe will be Derrick Favors, is another post player who rebounds well, and is a high energy defender. And the rest of the supporting cast he would have there like Devin Harris, Courtney Lee, Yi Jianlian, and the rest of the guy could be a very good situation for Johnson.

2. New York Knicks

There have been a lot of rumors that Johnson may be headed the New York Knicks as well, and I could easily see this happening. While the Knicks probably aren't going to be as good as even the Nets will, it's still the ability to be the star player in New York. It's almost a dream for many players, and I do know that Johnson loves the city of New York.

Like I said, they don't have quite the skill that the Nets have, but they do have a lot of solid young players as well. David Lee (if they find a way to re-sign him), would be huge to bring back. And then other guys like Danilo Gallinari, Wilson Chandler, and Toney Douglas all have talent, they just have to work hard and play team basketball if they want to use it. Another difference between New York and New Jersey is the fact that the Knicks don't have another great scorer, like the Nets do in Devin Harris. They have a great spot-up shooter in Gallinari, a decent offensive player in Chandler (but he can't take over games), and if they can't bring David Lee back, they don't have another player who can put the ball in the bucket at will.

Overall the Knicks have the draw of the big city, and some talent, but they aren't quite the best fit if Johnson wants to make a run at the Championship.

3. Chicago Bulls

If I had to take a guess at where Johnson will land, it would be in Chicago. Chicago is another one of those great basketball cities, and there would be a huge draw of playing alongside Derrick Rose as well. Of all the teams that I've listed, the Bulls easily have the best shot to make a serious run at the Finals, and they have a very good shot of signing LeBron as well.

The roster is so young, but so talented including guys like Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Luol Deng (who has lost offense, but is still a solid all-around player), and if you add in LeBron James and Joe Johnson to the mix, then you have a Championship-caliber team right there. Even if James doesn't sign, Johnson would still have Rose, who would take most of the pressure off of him, and just let him roam off of picks, and try to get free for some open jump shots, something he wasn't able to do in Atlanta.

Overall, Chicago would be the ideal place for Johnson in my opinion. The Bulls bring that basketball history, overall talent level, and perfect offensive style for Johnson.

Those are my top three teams for Joe Johnson, but I'll give some other candidates, but won't go into much depth about them. The Miami Heat would be another option where Johnson would be able to play alongside D-Wade, assuming the Heat are able to re-sign him, and that would be a draw. The only other option I see out there would be the L.A. Clippers. It's a team you haven't heard much about signing major free agents, but they have everything it takes. With guys like Blake Griffin, Baron Davis, and the rest of the roster there, Johnson would be able to go right in, and be the leader for the team, but also have a ton of backup. So there's a few more options to think about, but like I said, I think Chicago is the best place for him to sign.

Thoughts?