Atlanta Paid Two Firsts and Diaw for Johnson
The Hawks acquired Joe Johnson from Phoenix in August 2005 in a sign-and-trade arrangement. Atlanta sent Boris Diaw and two future first-round selections to the Suns, committing real draft capital to acquire a young, versatile guard who had played a supporting role in Phoenix's highly productive offense. The Hawks needed a primary creator who could handle the ball, score efficiently and grow with their roster. Phoenix chose a forward with multiple skills plus long-term draft options rather than matching the same financial and roster commitment to Johnson.
Johnson Became the Hawks' Offensive Centerpiece
Johnson emerged as Atlanta's leading scorer and a six-time All-Star during his Hawks tenure. He helped move the team from a rebuilding franchise into a regular playoff participant, taking on late-game shot creation and heavy offensive responsibility. Those seasons are the defining direct return, not his earlier Phoenix production. Johnson was far more than a short-term rental: Atlanta used his skill set to establish a competitive identity over multiple years before moving him to Brooklyn in another transaction.
Phoenix Still Collected Real Value From the Package
Diaw flourished with the Suns, winning the 2005-06 Most Improved Player award and providing passing, versatility and frontcourt play. The 2006 first-round right later became associated with No. 21 Rajon Rondo, and the other choice became No. 15 Robin Lopez in 2008. Their draft and trade paths differed, so all of Rondo's subsequent Celtics accomplishments cannot be added to Phoenix's received production. Lopez contributed to the Suns, while Diaw supplied the most immediately important player value.
One High-End Star Outweighed Several Smaller Pieces
The Suns obtained an award-winning role player and useful draft capital, making their return genuine rather than worthless. Johnson nevertheless developed into the franchise player Atlanta was trying to acquire. His years as the primary offensive option supplied sustained value that Atlanta had lacked. This comparison must account for Phoenix's compensation without treating the Celtics' later Rondo championship as a Suns achievement or ignoring the two first-round choices spent by Atlanta. The Hawks' long-term scoring return drives the winner.
Final Verdict
Hawks Win. Atlanta earns B+ for acquiring Joe Johnson, who became a six-time Hawks All-Star and led multiple playoff teams. Phoenix receives C for Boris Diaw's Most Improved Player season and two valuable draft rights, one later tied to Rajon Rondo and the other to Robin Lopez. The Suns received real assets, but Johnson delivered the stronger single-player return to Atlanta.