Brooklyn Nets guard Joe Johnson struggled in Game 7 of the first-round series against the Chicago Bulls. (GETTY IMAGES)

Joe Johnson seems like a really good guy – humble, low-key, not prone to idiotic statements or actions. A quiet professional who goes about his business, doesn’t make stupid plays on the court, and in his prime, was a very good shooting guard … five times over 20 points per game, three times at least 5.8 dimes, made six All-Star teams, but probably deserved to make just four. Which brings us to his Midas touch career, in terms of rewards: compensation, acclaim, and basically a free pass from sportswriters. He’s moved beyond the second round of the playoffs once in his career, and that was as the No. 4 guy on the fantastically fun-to-watch 2004-05 Phoenix team with Amare Stoudemire, Steve Nash, and Shawn “The Matrix” Marion as The Big 3. That’s also the only time he’s ever shot better than 43.9% in the playoffs – 50.4% – but he also missed six games in those playoffs. His 2-for-14 performance (with just three rebounds, two assists) in the Game 7 loss vs. Chicago was anything but an aberration when it comes to do-or-die playoff performances from him. In his last game of the playoffs (eight games), his career shooting percentage is 34.1% … 36.5% before the debacle against the Chicago Bulls. He has never shot better than 50% in any of those games. His career shooting percentage in the playoffs (69 games) is 41.4%. He was overpaid as a free agent leaving Phoenix for Atlanta ($67 mil/five years), but that was just a precursor to the really massive overpayment in 2010 – $123 mil/six years – as a 29-year-old coming off a second-round sweep at the hands of the Magic in which Joe averaged 12.8/4.5/3.8 while shooting 29.8% in the series…17.6% from distance! And then, to top it all off, the Nets actually traded to acquire this contract! Congrats Brooklyn, without Joe, you might have been an eighth seed and lost in four games to Miami, not seven games to an undermanned Bulls squad. And I don’t know about his local press in Atlanta or now Brooklyn, but it seems his low-key, humble nature has given him a pass with the national media. A charmed life…and a tragic contract.

OKC 93, MEMPHIS 91 – Tight action in Oklahoma as Quincy Pondexter missed the first of three free throws with the Grizz down by three, 1.6 seconds remaining. He made the second, missed the third on purpose, but OKC kept the rebound away from Memphis, and the Thunder escaped. Durant did everything for OKC (more below), while Kevin Martin had his second straight strong performance (25 points and seven rebounds) after going 1-for-10 in Game 5 vs. Houston. He also scored 25 when they closed out the Rockets. And to be fair…yes, The Mangy Mutt had a big play for the Thunder, stealing the ball from Mike Conley with a minute left, OKC down by one, which led to the last of Durant’s 35 points. Gasol (20/10/3, 3 steals, 2 blocks) and Zach Randolph (18/10) led Memphis while outside of KD & K-Mart, only one other Thunder hit double figures – 12 points from Mr. October (who had a really nice close-out Game 6 performance with 17 points, seven rebounds and eight dimes). The Thunder need to get more balanced and again, more from Serge Ibaka to have any hope of reaching The Finals again.

INDY 102, N.Y. 95 – Once again, Carmelo Anthony’s shooting was way too mellow, hitting just 10 of 28 in the game, while J.R. Smith also had troubles finding the hoop (4-for-15). In his last 4 games, Carmelo has made 35 of 110 shots (31.8%) while Smith has missed 30 of 42 in his last 3 games (28.6%). Additionally, Tyson Chandler was awful in the game, somehow managing to notch more fouls (six) and turnovers (two) combined than points (three) and rebounds (four) in 28 horrible minutes. After seven playoff games, he’s still looking for his first double-digit effort, and is not averaging a block a game, either (six total so far). Raymond Felton has been by far the most consistent Knick in the playoffs (17.3/3.7/5.0, 49.1%). As for Indy, their starters played massive minutes (37, 39, 39, 43, 43) and they all contributed nicely – 20 points from David West, 19 points and four assists from Paul George, Roy Hibbert blocked five shots, George Hill had a solid game with 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. And one of the surprises of these playoffs so far, Lance Stephenson grabbed 13 rebounds to go with three steals, while scoring an efficient (you hear that Melo/JR…E-F-F-I-C-I-E-N-T) 11 points, going 5-for-9 from the floor. In the first real postseason action of his career (played a total of 12 minutes in four games last year), Lance is at 8.3 points, 8.7 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals while shooting 46%.

The Akeem Olajuwon Award — Kevin Durant — 35 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, nine free throws made, one steal, two blocks, 0 treys, and 13-for-26 shooting…Predictably with Russell Westbrook out, KD has been massive in the playoffs so far — 32.9/8.9/6.0, shooting 48.7%. Just to watch more of him is reason enough to hope they can somehow get into the The Finals again this year.

The Rafael Araujo Award — Jason Kidd — 0 points, two rebounds, one assist, 0 free throws made, 0 steals, 0 blocks, 0 treys, and 0-for-1 shooting in 17 minutes of floor time…Since we already pointed out the majorly deficient big men in OKC (Ibaka) and N.Y. (Chandler), I thought the 87-year-old Mr. Kidd would be a good candidate for the Bozo Award. Jason – please make this year your last.

P.S. Came across this funny little item …

From Marcus Thompson’s Twitter page (@gswscribe):

Warriors PG Stephen Curry was told Greg Popovich said watching him was like watching Jordan. Curry laughed: “Was he drunk when he said it?”

Todd Robinson is a contributor to OneManFastBreak.net. To read more of his articles, go to spdbrnr.wordpress.com.

All-Stars Deron Williams and Joe Johnson join forces to lead the Brooklyn Nets. (AP)

Joe Johnson hasn’t played with a point guard like Deron Williams, and Williams has never had a shooting guard like Johnson. Together, they should be a lethal combination for the Brooklyn Nets.

Having Williams by his side should make things easier for Johnson. He can just be a scorer and not worry about facilitating or do most of the heavy lifting each and every night, something he had to do during his time as the alpha dog in Atlanta. Having a proven All-Star guard such as Williams, who has ranked in the top five in assists for six straight seasons, will make Johnson a better player — and he knows it.

“We’ll make each other better. Just him taking pressure off me, and me getting a lot of more catch-and-shoot and not having to beat two or three guys,” Johnson told TNT’s David Aldridge. “I just think you won’t be able to double- or triple-team guys now.

“We both know and understand that we both need to lead this team in the right direction.”

The Nets’ franchise arrow is pointing upward. The team is moving into an ideal situation in Brooklyn, where it could legitimately compete for bragging rights in New York with the Knicks and it will christen a brand new, state-of-the-art 19,000 arena on Atlantic Avenue — Barclays Center. Billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov made sure he had headliners to break in his hoops haven. Johnson and Williams leads a very good Nets starting lineup that includes small forward Gerald Wallace, power forward Kris Humphries, and center Brook Lopez.

“People are now figuring out that you can’t win with just one guy, or two guys even,” Johnson said. “You gotta have multiple players. Here in Brooklyn we got a lot of players who can get the job done. We feel we have a great chance.”

Williams and Johnson are 20-point scorers, while Lopez is a very good low-post scorer. So offense won’t be a problem for the Nets. Head coach Avery Johnson will stress defense to his squad, which means he’ll lean on Wallace to set the tone. The man nicknamed “Crash” is one of league’s top defenders and he’ll have something to prove this season after being traded from Portland.

“I’m excited about the team, I think we have a good team. We have an underrated team; a lot of underrated individuals,” Williams said. “It’s a fresh start for everybody. It’s a new organization, new arena, just new feeling.”

How good can the Nets be this season? “It depends on how quickly we gel,” Williams said. “[Depends] on how we come together as a team, how good we come defensively. That’s the biggest key for us.”

All-Star center Dwight Howard is on his way to Hollywood to join forces with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol and Steve Nash. (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Deron Williams returned to the Nets, Steve Nash and Dwight Howard are headed to Hollywood, and Jason Terry is moving from Dallas to Boston. The 2012 NBA offseason had plenty of franchise-altering moves — most of which benefited the major markets. So much for competitive balance. Some teams did better than others (ahem! Lakers), while most stayed above the fray and maintained status quo. OneManFastBreak.net highlights the winners and losers:

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

Mitch Kupchak locked up executive of the year with his two monumental moves this summer. He pried Nash from the Phoenix Suns (a division rival) to give Kobe Bryant the best point guard he’s ever had. Then, he shocked the basketball world by acquiring the best center in the world without giving up all-star Pau Gasol. With Nash, Kobe, Ron Artest, Gasol, and Howard, the Lakers have easily the best starting five in the NBA and arguably the greatest starting five in basketball history. The Lakers’ Fab Five are armed with two league MVPs, two defensive players of the year, and the most skilled big man in the game. Even at age 38, Nash is still a terrific playmaker and he’ll make sure Gasol and Howard will get their touches on the offensive end. The Lakers were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs mainly because their offense faltered and did not execute. Nash will step into the role of offensive coordinator and he’ll instantly make the Lakers a lethal offensive team. Howard adds to the Lakers’ great history of dominant centers, joining Mikan, Wilt, Kareem, and Shaq.

[VIDEO: DWIGHT HOWARD TRADED TO THE L.A. LAKERS]

BOSTON CELTICS

Boston reached the Eastern Conference finals in 2012 despite a gimpy Paul Pierce and a hobbling Ray Allen. Priority No. 1 in the offseason was to bring back Kevin Garnett. The Big Ticket re-signed with the Celtics, assuring he’ll retire a Celtic, and then general manager Danny Ainge added more firepower on offense by signing shooting guard Jason Terry, a member of the Mavericks’ 2011 championship squad. Terry addresses a major issue for Boston: scoring. He’ll help the Celtics avoid long scoring droughts with his ability to create his own shot and not have to depend on point guard Rajon Rondo to feed him the ball off screens. Terry can also serve as a backup point guard, giving head coach Doc Rivers more flexibility on offense.

BROOKLYN NETS

Deron Williams was arguably the biggest catch of the summer, and he was the first to decide where he wanted to play. Williams re-signing with the Nets gives the Brooklyn franchise a centerpiece and a name on the billboard of the team’s brand new arena. But Williams won’t be alone on that billboard. All-Star guard Joe Johnson was acquired from Atlanta, giving the Nets a studly backcourt combo and plenty of firepower. The team also re-signed power forward Kris Humphries to bolster its frontline. Now, if the Mikhail Prokorov can convince Dwight Howard to join the Brooklyn party then the Nets will be the biggest winner of the summer.

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Daryl Morey caught a lot of flak for letting Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry, and Luis Scola leave town without compensation and then signed Jeremy Lin to a $25-million contract. On the outside, it looks like the Rockets are throwing in the towel. But if you look closely, Morey is fielding a team that is cap-friendly. Lin is going to be The Man in Houston, picking up the Asian fan votes vacated by Yao Ming. Lin should fit in nicely in Kevin McHale’s free-flowing, pick-and-roll heavy offense, and that’s likely the biggest reason why he chose Houston over New York (oh, the $14.8 million on the third year of the deal ain’t bad either).

Jeremy Lin signed a three-year, $25-million deal with the Rockets. (GETTY IMAGES)

The Rockets are cleaning house for the right reasons. First-round draft picks Jeremy Lamb and Terrence Jones are very good young players, and they should figure into McHale’s rotation from the start. The Rockets’ offseason is a perfect case of addition by subtraction.

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Ever since Allen Iverson left town, Philly fans have been craving for star. Enter Andrew Bynum. Bynum gives the Sixers their first significant low-post threat since Moses Malone and he immediately turns the Sixers into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. He’s arguably the second-best center in the NBA and, at 24, his ceiling is so high he has only begun to scratch the surface of the roof. Bynum, who won two championships with the Lakers, will be The Man in Philadelphia and his big body (7 feet, 290 pounds) in the paint will alter the way the Sixers play on both ends. Joining Bynum in Philly are free agents Jason Richardson, Nick Young, and Dorell Wright.

DALLAS MAVERICKS

When Deron Williams announced his decision to stay with the Nets instead of joining the Mavericks, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News tweeted this gem: “Russian 1, Cuban 0.” That, of course, is in reference to the Nets owner, Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, getting over Mavs owner Mark Cuban, who was hoping to lure Williams to play in his home state of Texas. The Williams decision had a domino effect in the Mavs’ plan. Dallas’ all-out-effort to land Williams made Kidd a little leftout. Nobody likes to be second choice, so Kidd chose his own path by signing with the Knicks. But Kidd wasn’t the only Mavs guard to defect. Longtime Maverick Jason Terry, a member of the team’s 2011 championship team along with Kidd, is taking his talents to Beantown and join the Celtics. So, if you’re still keeping score, it’s now Free Agency 3, Cuban 0.

CHICAGO BULLS

The only good news this summer for Chicago are the improving health of Derrick Rose coming off knee surgery and the return of Kirk Hinrich, a big piece of the Bulls’ resurgence in 2008. But take away the Hinrich signing and the Bulls have had a nightmarish offseason. Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, John Lucas, C.J. Watson, and Omer Asik are all gone. All five were important cogs off the Bulls bench. Korver was arguably the Bulls’ best player in the fourth quarter, while Brewer and Asik are very good defenders. Lucas and Watson are not all-star players, but they both did an admirable job in Rose’s absence. Continuity is a big part of a championship team, and the Bulls are basically starting over with an entirely new bench unit (Marco Belinelli, Vladimir Radmanovic, and rookie point guard Marquis Teague) for the 2012-13 season. Belinelli is nowhere near the shooting Korver is, and Radmanovic is not someone you want guarding LeBron James — or any small forward for that matter — in the fourth quarter.

NEW YORK KNICKS

Phil Jackson calls the New York Knicks a “clumsy” team, and the Knicks tripped over themselves this offseason by not getting Nash. Then the Knicks made a bold move by signing veteran point guard Jason Kidd. The former Mavericks playmaker could turn out to be a better option because Kidd won’t mind running Mike Woodson’s isolation offense. Then the Knicks signed Raymond Felton, which was a little bit of a head-scratcher considering Felton was grossly out of shape last season and now he’s being rewarded for his unprofessionalism. The Felton signing basically forced fan favorite Jeremy Lin out of the rotation, and now New York enters the season the same way they left it — too many players playing the same positions. Lin was a cash cow for the MSG network and time will tell if Lin fans will keep following the Knicks.

ORLANDO MAGIC

In his letter to Magic season ticket holders, CEO Alex Martins wrote: “We look forward to this next chapter of Magic basketball and remain committed to our mission: To be world champions on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of the way.” Hmm. In order to win a championship, you must first qualify for the playoffs and, without Howard, Orlando will be far from being a playoff contender for the next few years. Martins and general manager Rob Hennigan were put in a tough spot. Howard made it clear that he wanted out of Orlando, but Martins and Hennigan failed to get the right deal. Sure they got some draft picks, but those won’t matter unless they’re lottery picks. It took Orlando nearly a decade to recover from the breakup with Shaquille O’Neal. When Howard came along, he made Orlando love basketball again. After eight years of basketball bliss, L.A. swoops in and breaks Orlando’s heart yet again. It’s like losing another girlfriend to the same guy 16 years later.

Joel Huerto is the editor and publisher of OneManFastBreak.net. Follow him on Twitter @onemanfastbreak.

According to reports, Dirk Nowitzki will remain with the Mavericks.

For those keeping score, it’s 4-1 in favor of teams retaining their own free agents.

As of July 5, four big-time free agents have have decided to stay with their old teams: Dirk Nowitzki, Paul Pierce, Rudy Gay and Joe Johnson.

The only free agent who has officially signed with another team is Amare Stoudemire. Yahoo! Sports and TNT’s David Aldridge have reported that Stoudemire has accepted the Knicks’ contract offer worth $100 million spread across five years. Stoudemire will be reunited with coach Mike D’Antoni, who coached him in Phoenix.

Yahoo! Sports also reported that Johnson will re-sign with the Atlanta Hawks, a six-year maximum deal that is close to $120 million.

Nowitzki recently accepted a four-year deal worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $80 million to remain with the Dallas Mavericks and Pierce agreed to a four-year, $60-million deal to stay in Boston. Gay was the first big-name free agent to agree to terms, as he reportedly received a five-year, $80-million contract from the Memphis Grizzlies last Thursday when the free-agency period officially got underway.

The return of head coach Doc Rivers certainly persuaded Pierce to stay put, and the Celtics are also in negotiations with shooting guard Ray Allen, who has also expressed his desire to stay in Boston. This means that the Celtics’ vaunted starting five are all expected to be back next season to make another run at a title (barring center Kendrick Perkins fully recovers from knee surgery).

What was supposed to be the summer of massive exodus has turned into an offseason of status quo. Of course, things could change in a heartbeat especially if that someone – ahem! LeBron James – decides to spurn his hometown team and play elsewhere next season.

But, that hasn’t happened yet and it’s not expected to happen until the end of the week, according to several reports. James is mulling over offers presented to him by NBA teams with a ton of salary cap room: New Jersey, New York, Miami, the L.A. Clippers, Chicago and Cleveland.

Wade met with the Bulls twice and has told people close to the situation that he is seriously considering playing for his hometown team. The Heat have already told Wade that they are prepared to give him the max deal and have promised him a roster upgrade.

Others who are noncommittal are Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire, although Stoudemire recently was offered the maximum contract of five years, $100 million by the Knicks. Stoudemire is reportedly meeting with Knicks head coach Mike D’Antoni, his old coach in Phoenix, on Monday to hash out some past issues.

The Suns have reportedly re-signed forward Channing Frye and also acquired forward Hakim Warrick, so it is highly unlikely that Phoenix will bring back Stoudemire, who has played his entire career with the Suns.

Joe Johnson has a standing six-year max offer from the Atlanta Hawks, a deal that could be worth $120 million. Johnson remains mum about his situation, obviously waiting for LeBron and D-Wade to make their moves. Johnson has also drawn interest from the Knicks, as D’Antoni prepares to go to Plan B in case LeBron signs with Chicago or Cleveland – which is more and more apparent.

ESPN’s J.A. Adande wrote that the Toronto Raptors have not been enamored with the way Bosh has been publicly “enjoying himself” too much and using his Twitter account to tell his followers on his status. Bosh is asking for a max contract, but he can only get it if the Raptors agree to a sign-and-trade deal.

At the end of this long, drawn-out process, money will prevail. Players are taking advantage of the current labor deal because they are anticipating that the new collective bargaining agreement won’t be as player friendly.

Doc Rivers’ decision to return to the Boston bench and coach the Celtics for the 2010-11 season could cause a chain reaction – in a very good way. With Rivers back as coach free agents Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are likely to stay in Boston, keeping the core group that has reached the NBA Finals twice in the last three seasons.

So, who else is staying?

Dwyane Wade has publicly stated that he prefers to stay in Miami as long as the Heat upgrades their roster, and it appears that Pat Riley has lined up an impressive list of All-Stars to pair up with Wade in South Beach, beginning with Chris Bosh and Amare Stoudemire.

Dirk Nowitzki opted out of his original deal, but this doesn’t mean he’s leaving Dallas. Sources say that Mavs GM Donnie Nelson is expected to meet with Nowitzki soon to begin negotiations on a new deal that would keep Nowitzki a Maverick for the rest of his career.

The Memphis Commercial Appeal is reporting that Rudy Gay has verbally agreed to a contract extension Thursday that would keep him in Memphis for the next five years.

Cavalier fans have been campaigning hard to keep Ohio’s favorite son, LeBron James, in Cleveland while other suitors such as the Bulls, Knicks and Nets keep tugging at The King’s robe in an attempt to lure him to their big cities.

Tracking the status of the top NBA free agents this summer (updates through July 1):

LeBron James
The biggest catch of the free-agent market met with New Jersey Nets billionaire owner Mikhail Prokhorov and his buddy Jay-Z Thursday morning. The Knicks followed with their pitch to convince LeBron to move his empire to Manhattan. The Clippers and Heat are on deck for Friday, and the Bulls the Cavaliers have their appointments on Saturday. LeBron appears to be following through with his original plan of keeping his options open and hear what other teams have to offer. James says he’ll make his decision by July 5.

Chris Bosh
It appears the South Beach Summit was more for show than anything else. Bosh has told reporters that he doesn’t see himself and LeBron joining Dwyane Wade in Miami. Bosh says he wants to be “the guy” on his next team, and he seems a little insulted that he was being portrayed as the bottom end of a James-Wade-Bosh superstar triangle. However, it doesn’t mean Bosh can’t play with Wade in Miami. Other teams in the running are Chicago, Dallas, Houston, New Jersey and New York.

Paul Pierce
Pierce went through with his opt-out clause last night, but this could be just a formality for the Celtics captain and the ballclub. Pierce and the Celtics, the only team Pierce has played for in his entire NBA career, seem headed to the negotiating table and begin reworking a new deal that would keep Pierce in a Celtic uniform for a while, according to the Boston Herald. Pierce, who will be 33 next season, is looking for a long-term deal.

Ray Allen
Allen could get offers from other clubs and there’s still a slight possibility that he could play elsewhere next season. But the return of Rivers and Pierce, and a little more money love from the Celtics, should persuade Allen to come back to Boston.

Joe Johnson
The Hawks made their final pitch on Thursday to their All-Star guard to the tune of a six-year, $120-million contract. There are several reports that Miami Heat President Pat Riley will meet with Johnson, who is also expected to visit New York and possibly reunite with Mike D’Antoni, Johnson’s former coach with the Phoenix Suns. A week ago, Johnson was likely headed out of Atlanta, but this latest offer by the Hawks is too good to pass up. Money talks around the league, and the Hawks made it loud and clear that they are willing to overpay to keep Johnson in the ATL. It’s an offer Johnson can’t refuse.

Amare Stoudemire
According to ESPN’s Ric Bucher, the Suns tried to strike a last-minute deal with Amare prior to the beginning of the free agency period but both sides couldn’t agree on a contract. So now, Stoudemire is officially on the market and appears to be headed elsewhere. Mike D’Antoni would love to bring Stoudemire to New York and pair him with Joe Johnson to create Phoenix Suns East on Broadway. Stoudemire wants a maximum contract, but the only way he gets his max deal is if the Suns do a sign-and-trade. The Houston Rockets reportedly offered Shane Battier and Luis Scola to the Suns for Stoudemire.

Dirk Nowitzki
All signs point to Nowitzki re-signing with the Mavericks, the team that Dirk has played for his entire NBA career. Mavs GM Donnie Nelson is reported to meet with Nowitzki sometime Thursday to not only begin negotiations on a new deal but to also talk about how to lure other free agents to Dallas. Nelson says there is no backup plan if the Mavs don’t re-sign the 2006-07 MVP.

Rudy Gay
Yahoo! Sports has confirmed what the Memphis Commercial Appeal first reported that Gay is staying with the Grizzlies. Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that Gay has agreed to a five-year, $81.6-million contract, with the fifth and final year of the contract will be Gay’s option.

Forward Chris Bosh is expected to opt out of his Toronto Raptors contract on July 1.

It was fitting that Carlos Boozer and Joe Johnson were eliminated from the 2010 NBA playoffs on the same night because both may have played their last games for their respective teams and could very well be playing elsewhere next season. Another free agent who is expected to leave is Chris Bosh.

Bosh, Boozer and Johnson have said they are going to opt out of their contracts on July 1 and join a robust list of super free agents that could include LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Dirk Nowitzki, Ray Allen and Amare Stoudemire.

Bosh says the Toronto Raptors are “still in the mix,” but who is he kidding? The fact that the Raptors selected a power forward in Thursday’s NBA Draft is a sign that they don’t think Bosh is returning to Canada.

Among Bosh’s hottest suitors are Miami, Chicago, Dallas and New York. The 6-foot-11 power forward has decided to ditch the Raptor dreads for the Georgia Tech clean-cut look, a symbolic move that could mean he is now ready to move on. He recently had dinner with D-Wade and claims free agency did not come up during their conversation. Yeah, right! That’s like saying men buy Playboy magazine to read the articles.

If you believe what Bosh told the Miami Herald recently, the Heat are the favorites to sign him. But Bosh could also be throwing out feelers out there to get a reaction from other ballclubs, forcing them to up the ante.

After the Jazz were swept by the L.A. Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, Boozer told ESPN’s J.A. Adande the Jazz needed to improve to advance in the playoffs. “We have to improve. We have to improve. We have to get better,” said Boozer, who has been with the Jazz since 2004.

Notice Boozer referred to the Jazz as “We,” a clear indication that he intends to stay. But do the Jazz want him back?

The way the team in constructed right now, Utah is just not equipped to handle bigger teams such as the Lakers, the Magic and the Celtics. The Lakers’ length was a huge factor in the conference semifinals, and bringing the undersized Boozer back would not be a smart basketball decision for Jerry Sloan and the Jazz management.

The Jazz need more size in the frontcourt. They have too many undersized forwards on the team: Boozer (listed at 6-9 but he’s more like 6-7), Paul Millsap (listed at 6-8 but probably closer to 6-6), C.J. Miles (listed at 6-6 but plays more like a guard) and Wesley Matthews.

Millsap and Boozer are interchangeable. You can’t play them at the same time because they play the same position and they virtually take up the same amount of space on the court. Utah signed Millsap to a $32-million deal last summer so they are committed to him for the next four years, making Boozer (who made $12 million this season) expendable.

The Heat has James, Bosh and Stoudemire atop their wish list, but would settle for Boozer if Plan A, B and C falter.

The Hawks are in the same predicament as the Jazz. Atlanta has three forwards in their frontcourt and doesn’t have a legit center on the roster to command double teams on offense and defend the paint on defense. That lack of a true post presence showed up in the conference semifinals against Orlando as Al Horford (6-8), Josh Smith (6-9) and Marvin Williams (6-7) simply couldn’t handle Dwight Howard in the box.

The Orlando-Atlanta series was the most lopsided in NBA history. From the opening tip of Game 1 to the final whistle in Game 4, the Hawks were never in the series, losing Game 1 by 43 points and Game 3 by 30. The Magic had a 25-point average margin.

It got so bad for the Hawks that some fans didn’t bother to show up for Game 4, and those who showed up booed with a passion.

Is the door completely shut for Johnson in terms of returning to Atlanta next season?

“It’s still open. It’s still open. I’ve been booed louder than that. I’ve got a thick skin,” said Johnson, who shot just 29.8% in the series and averaged 12.8 points – eight below what he averaged in the first round.

Though Johnson hasn’t closed the door on the Hawks, a team he has been with for past five seasons, the two-time All-Star is certainly open to hearing what other teams have to offer. Money talks, and Johnson would be selling himself short if he doesn’t test the free-agent market and find the best deal for him.

The 2010 free-agent class has two tiers on the first page. The first tier, also known as “the franchise” list, has two players: James and Wade. Those are the only two guys who deserve the maximum contract. The rest are second- and third-tier guys who are All-Star players but more suited for secondary roles.

Johnson falls into the second tier class. He is without question the best player on the Hawks, but he’s not someone who is good enough to carry an entire franchise on his shoulders. But if Johnson is paired up with a first-tier All-Star, then you have quite a 1-2 punch.

The Hawks brought in Jamal Crawford this season not just for scoring punch off the bench but also as a possible replacement in case Johnson leaves. There is still a good chance Johnson returns to Atlanta, but teams such as the Bulls, Heat, Knicks and other teams with cap room are willing to overpay for Johnson’s services.

Chicago is a very strong possibility because Johnson can share the spotlight with budding star Derrick Rose and the Bulls won’t have to alter what they do offensively because Johnson can slide into the shooting guard or small forward position without a hitch.

This offseason could prove to be one of those landmark times in the league, much like the Summer of ’96 when Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning changed the landscape of the NBA by signing massive free-agent contracts with the Lakers and Heat, respectively.

Expect the first domino to fall prior to July 1.

Photos courtesy of NBA Entertainment/Getty Images.

Seventh-year pro Joe Johnson has helped revive basketball in Atlanta. (AP)

With just a few days left before the final All-Star Game rosters are set, Joe Johnson is getting shamefully snubbed. The Hawks’ shooting guard is 11th among East guards. He deserved to start in the All-Star Game on Feb. 15.

You cannot convince me that Joe Johnson is the 11th-best guard in the East. No way! Gilbert Arenas, who has not played a game this year, is sixth. Sixth! The only player I would consider over Johnson is Devin Harris. Since getting traded from Dallas to New Jersey, Harris’ game has exploded. His game is limitless. You think Mark Cuban would like a mulligan on that trade? Who would you rather have: Kidd or The Kid? Hmmm. I take the kid with arguably the quickest first step in the game.

Right now, the Eastern Conference starters are Dwight Howard at center, LeBron James and Kevin Garnett at forward, and Dwyane Wade and Allen Iverson at guard. Wade leads the NBA in scoring and leads all East guards with 1.4 million votes, and definitely deserves to start. However, I can easily find better options at the other starting guard spot than Iverson, who is not having an Iverson-type season.

As much as I love Harris, my vote goes to Johnson. I give Joe Johnson – the guy with an ordinary name but plays an extraordinary game – the slight edge over Harris only because his team has a better record. But Harris, who is fifth in the voting, deserves to make the East roster, no doubt.

Johnson is the unquestionable leader of the surging Hawks, who should end up with one of the top five playoff berths in the East. Johnson has the numbers (22 points per game and 6 assists) and the victories to back up his sensational season. During last season’s playoffs, the young and restless Hawks gave KG and the Celtics fits, and Johnson single-handedly extended that series to seven games. Basketball is relevant again in Hot-lanta and Joe Cool is a big reason why.

In the West, Yao Ming is once again No. 1 in voting among centers (Yao may be the starting center until he retires), Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire are the forwards, and Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul the guards.

For a while there Tracy McGrady was among the leaders at guard. T-Mac? Are you kidding  me? He has been a part-time player, at best, this season; yet, he has 100,000 more votes than CP3? Shame on the voters. McGrady is always hurt. He has already begged out of games and we are not even in February yet. There is always something with T-Mac – or, I should say, “SHE-MAC!”

When you look at his numbers this season, She-Mac is not even the second-best player on the Rockets. Heck, he may not be the third-best player on his team! What is the fascination with She-Mac? Why do fans keep voting for him? Are fans blinded by his past heroics? Is it because he’s Yao Ming’s teammate? Whatever the reasons are, they are not good enough to convince me that She-Mac is an all-star starter. He’s not the same player, folks.

I can easily name six other guards better than She-Mac. Chris Paul was the obvious choice, and kudos to the fans for getting it right. CP3 leads the league in assists and steals, and he’s one of just four players averaging 20-10 for the season (Al Jefferson, Zach Randolph and Tim Duncan are the others). Also deserving are Chauncey Billups, Tony Longoria-Parker, Brandon Roy, Deron Williams and Kevin Durant.

Billups is having an MVP-type season and should represent the Nuggets in Phoenix, not Melo. Since moving from Detroit to Denver, Mr. Big Shot looks rejuvinated. He has saved George Karl’s job and has found a way to get Nene more involved in the offense, something A.I. could not do.

Tony Longoria-Parker has become option 1-A for the San Antonio Spurs, averaging a career-high 21 points per game. He should make the West roster. Plus, having Eva Longoria at the All-Star Game is a must.

Roy is a superstar in the Pacific Northwest. The third-year guard out of the University of Washington has become the face of the Blazers franchise, which is still trying to recover from the mess left by J.R. Rider, Sheed, Damon Stoudamire and Bonzi Wells.

D-Will, slowed by a bad ankle injury earlier in the season, has kept the injury-riddled Jazz afloat. The Jazz are still without Carlos Boozer and Andre “AK47” Kirilenko has been shooting blanks. Durant plays for one of the worst teams in the NBA, but he’s still having a better season than She-Mac (Durant is one of nine players averaging more than 23 points a game).

OneManFastbreak.net picks the 12-man rosters for the East and West teams in the 58th NBA All-Star Game, to be held in Phoenix:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Centers – Dwight Howard, Orlando.

Forwards – LeBron James, Cleveland; Kevin Garnett, Boston; Chris Bosh, Toronto; Danny Granger, Indiana; Tayshaun Prince, Detroit; Paul Pierce, Boston.

Guards – Dwyane Wade, Miami; Joe Johnson, Atlanta; Devin Harris, New Jersey; Vince Carter, New Jersey; Allen Iverson, Detroit.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

Centers – Yao Ming, Houston; Shaquille O’Neal, Phoenix; Al Jefferson, Minnesota.

Forwards – Tim Duncan, San Antonio; Amare Stoudemire, Phoenix; Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas; Pau Gasol; L.A. Lakers.

Guards – Kobe Bryant, L.A. Lakers; Chris Paul, New Orleans; Brandon Roy, Portland; Chauncey Billups, Denver; Tony Longoria-Parker, San Antonio.