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You’ve obviously been to New York a bunch of times by now as an NBA player, but had you ever set foot in Brooklyn before the trade? Johnson: I’ll tell you what: I’ve been to New York, but I’ve never really been out in New York like that. I had never been to Brooklyn until the press conference, and that was something like I’ve never experienced before. It was unbelievable — all the fans coming out to welcome us. It was something I’ve never been a part of. I had a great time. SI.com

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson 

So is the goal to win a championship in Year 1? Or do you look at Miami and think, “Wow, even they needed a year to figure it out and gel”? Johnson: That’s what we are shooting for — the ring. There’s no need to sell ourselves short. You talk about gelling and figuring it out, and I think we have the perfect pieces: a great point guard, a great center. I don’t think any of our positions are the same or overlap at all. SI.com

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson 

I can hear the gym getting noisier in the background. I have to ask you about the contract. Some Atlanta fans were almost celebrating the trade, given how much money you make and the salary cap. You dealt with that for years. How do you do it? Just tune it out? Use it as fuel? Just play? Do you care? Johnson: You just have to tune it out. We had a great squad there. Unfortunately, we got hit by the injury bug last season, with Al [Horford] getting hurt early in the season. It happens. I can take the criticism, as long as I know I’m giving it everything I have. SI.com

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson 

Former Hawks guard Joe Johnson is like many of the rest of us: relocating for his job and looking to sell his crib. Most of us aren’t putting our house on the market for $4.7 million, but still. The listing at estately.com notes J.J.’s “grand estate” includes eight bedrooms and eight full baths among its 13,822 square feet. There’s a weight room, a recording studio, and a basement spa that appears to include a salon with a barber’s chair (helping to explain why J.J.’s waves always were so tight). Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Joe Johnson 

Danny Ferry: With Joe gone, the dynamic of our team is naturally going to change. There’s going to be more touches and more possessions that other people are gonna be a part of. I would imagine that both Devin [Harris] and Jeff — and Louis [Williams] — will absorb a lot of those. And all of them will become very important to our group. Grantland

Atlanta Hawks, Joe Johnson, Devin Harris, Danny Ferry, Louis Williams, Jeff Teague 

Joe Johnson beckons us to follow him into the shadows. “Shh,” he motions with his finger, whispering. “You gotta be quiet so you don’t wake the sneakers up.” Lights come on. Jaws drop. All professional basketball players buy cars. A few will start up record labels with childhood friends or buy into restaurants. Some purchase houses with luxurious outdoor swimming pools, movie theaters and even bowling lanes. Joe Johnson built a sneaker vault, and then secured it with a fingerprint system so restricted that even Ocean’s Eleven couldn’t break in to get the goods. Dime

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson, Sneakers 

Dime: How long did it take for you to put this whole thing together? JJ: Probably a few months. I think it was probably about four months to get everything done. Dime: Do you keep all your sneakers here? JJ: Yeah just about. I’ve got my closet in my room that has a gang of sneakers. I’ve got sneakers all through the house, but that main room right there holds the majority of them. Dime: I heard there’s a fingerprint system? JJ: Yeah. For me man, it’s kinda like this sacred, 007-type. You see all the movies to where you have to use your fingerprint to get through the door. I wanted that so I just implemented it in my house and put it on my shoe closet. Dime

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson, Sneakers 

Dime: What was the first pair they made you? JJ: The Jordan 5s. They made them in our team colors. I was in Atlanta. Dime: Growing up, were you always looking to get Jordans if you could? JJ: Definitely. Any chance that I could get some, I was trying to get them. I had to pick and choose wisely. Dime: What’s your favorite pair?JJ: My favorite pair that I have right now, to be honest, the Jordans 5s were my favorite pair so I was pretty geeked up when I first got with the brand. They told me that a lot of the guys had been wearing the 5s that year. The Jordan 5s with the 23 on the side and the little mesh-looking thing that could reflect, those were probably the best ones to me. Dime

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson, Sneakers 

Adrian Wojnarowski: Howard wondered to Hennigan why offers on table w/ Nets and Lakers prior to Joe Johnson and Steve Nash deals were rejected, source says. Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, Trade, Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Dwight Howard 

Michael Lee: Jordan Crawford said BKN have NBA's best backcourt: "Vicious. The only word to describe it. Deron [Williams] is like a 6-2 Joe Johnson." Twitter

Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, Jordan Crawford 

According to Ferry, the moves weren’t easy to make because of the solid contributions of Johnson and Williams over the years, but needed to be done to usher in a fresh start. “Difficult decision to make in moving guys of that caliber,” Ferry told HOOPSWORLD about making the Williams and Johnson deals. “I think the mindset was that we probably weren’t good enough and the status quo wasn’t going to make sense if that was the case.” HoopsWorld

Atlanta Hawks, Joe Johnson, Danny Ferry, Marvin Williams 

The Brooklyn Nets are introducing their fans to "The Core Four." The Nets unveiled a "Hello Brooklyn" marketing campaign featuring Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace on Monday in their new borough. The campaign features advertisements of the stars, along with a personalized message that "enables fans to learn more about their hometown team," according to a press release. ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets, Joe Johnson, Gerald Wallace, Deron Williams, Brook Lopez 

Joe Johnson said Friday the Brooklyn Nets are the best NBA team in New York City. New York Knicks small forward Carmelo Anthony's response? We'll see about that. "I hear they're talking trash, but we'll be ready for the challenge," Anthony told ESPNDeportes.com's Marly Rivera at an event in Washington D.C. "I haven't looked at the schedule, but when that game happens, we will be ready." ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Carmelo Anthony, Joe Johnson 

Q: Why did you say the Nets are better than the Knicks? Joe Johnson: A: The Brooklyn Nets have to have swag, and it starts with confidence. You can’t go out hoping and wishing, but you have to know and feel that way before you take the court. I think we should all feel that we’re a pretty good damn team. Q: How long will it take for you to help bring a championship to Brooklyn? A: Honestly, not long. I think we got some great pieces to put us in position to win a title, honestly. ... This could be probably the best team I’ve ever played on. New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Joe Johnson 

Joe Johnson thinks the best NBA team in New York City is the one that just traded for him: The Brooklyn Nets. "The Nets. Definitely, the Nets," Johnson responded Friday at a news conference at Brooklyn Borough Hall, kicking off what should be a riveting "East River Rivalry" between the Nets and the New York Knicks. ESPN.com

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Joe Johnson 

Stefan Bondy: Billy King said Deron/Joe Johnson is better than Nash/Kobe: "They’re good. I like them. But I think ours is better." Twitter

Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Deron Williams, Billy King 

Stefan Bondy: Asked which is best team in New York right now, Joe Johnson: "Nets. Definitely Nets." Twitter

Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Joe Johnson 

After the Nets officially put together virtually an entire new roster Wednesday, owner Mikhail Prokhorov issued a statement yesterday praising his management team of general manager Billy King, assistant GM Bobby Marks and Johnson on the work they’ve put in over the past two weeks. “I’m thrilled with the way our team has come together,” Prokhorov said in the statement. “My congratulations and appreciation go out to general manager Billy King, assistant general manager Bobby Marks and head coach Avery Johnson for their tenacity, nerve and heart throughout this process. With the re-signing of Deron Williams and the trade for Joe Johnson, we go into our new home led by an All-Star backcourt and with every hope of a great season for the Brooklyn Nets. I can’t wait until opening night.” New York Post

Brooklyn Nets, Trade, Avery Johnson, Joe Johnson, Bobby Marks, Mikhail Prokhorov, Deron Williams, Billy King 

The Bulls are expected to re-engage the Atlanta Hawks in trade talks. The Hawks had shown interest in Korver after receiving a traded player exception in the Joe Johnson deal to New Jersey. Chicago Tribune

Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Brooklyn Nets, Trade, Joe Johnson, Kyle Korver 

Mikhail Prokhorov: "I'm thrilled with the way our team has come together. My congratulations and appreciation go out to General Manager Billy King, Assistant General Manager Bobby Marks and Head Coach Avery Johnson for their tenacity, nerve and heart throughout this process. With the re-signing of Deron Williams and the trade for Joe Johnson, we go into our new home led by an All-Star backcourt and with every hope of a great season for the Brooklyn Nets. I can't wait until opening night." Sulia

Brooklyn Nets, Avery Johnson, Joe Johnson, Bobby Marks, Mikhail Prokhorov, Deron Williams, Billy King, Owners