HAWKS OBTAIN JOE JOHNSON FROM PHOENIX SUNS

All-Star caliber player comes to Atlanta

for Boris Diaw and two conditional first round picks

ATLANTA, GA (Aug. 19, 2005)-- Gaining the services of their most

talented free agent acquisition since Dikembe Mutombo ('96), the Atlanta Hawks have obtained Joe

Johnson from the Phoenix Suns for Boris Diaw and two conditional first round

picks, it was announced today by Executive Vice President/General Manager Billy

Knight.

The high-flying Johnson, who begins his fifth NBA season in 2005-06, was one of

the catalysts behind the resurgence of the Suns and their 62-20 record, which

garnered the franchise's first Pacific Division title since 1994-95. The 33-game

improvement ranks as the third-best in league history.

"Joe has tremendous upside and provides our franchise with a player whose

talents are worthy of All-Star consideration," said Knight. "He has the

versatility to play several positions for Coach (Mike) Woodson. Not only is Joe

extremely gifted on the offensive end, his size on defense will give us a

tremendous advantage against most teams. When you team him up with a combination

of Josh Childress, Josh Smith, Al Harrington, Marvin Williams, Salim Stoudamire

and Zaza Pachulia, we feel we have one of the best up-and-coming rosters in the

league.

"I also want to express my appreciation to all who had a hand in getting Joe to

Atlanta. The faith and confidence shown by our ownership group will never be

forgotten, and the cooperation shown by Suns management, and Joe and his agent

Arn Tellem spoke volumes to me. They have been unbelievable through this whole

process and words can't explain how grateful we are to them for their character

and integrity through it all, for all of them sticking to their word and backing

us up all the way."

"Billy Knight has done an extraordinary job of assembling a strong nucleus that

features some of the youngest, most athletic and energetic players in the NBA,"

said Hawks Co-Owner Michael Gearon. "This is an exciting day for the franchise

and we are extremely proud to welcome Joe Johnson into our Hawks family."

With career highs in points (17.1 ppg), rebounds (5.2 rpg) and three-point

accuracy (a franchise record 47.8%), Johnson is a durable player who has

appeared in 276 straight games (which currently trails only Toronto's Morris

Peterson's streak of 279 games) and logged the most minutes played per game on

Phoenix's squad last season (39.5 mpg). His versatility was evident when you

consider that he was third on the team in scoring, second in assists behind NBA

MVP Steve Nash (3.3 apg), and fourth in rebounds and steals (0.96 spg).

"I am extremely excited to add a player of Joe's background to our team," said

Hawks coach Woodson. "He is a great young talent in our league and when you

couple him with the young talent we currently have on the roster, I can't wait

to see them mesh as a unit. Joe has continually improved his game each and every

season, and now he is poised to become one of the bright stars in the Eastern

Conference. He is a very easy going person and Atlanta will soon learn how

important it was for Billy and our management group to finalize this deal."

An excellent shooter, Johnson connected on 46.1 percent of his attempts from the

field and finished the season as only the fourth player in league history to

make at least 150 three-pointers and shoot over 45 percent from behind the arc

in the same campaign.

Johnson tallied 20 points or more on 30 occasions last year, including a

season-best 30 three times (at Seattle on March 6, at Memphis on February 1 and

vs. Utah on December 15).

During the 2004-05 Playoffs, he was briefly derailed by a fractured left orbital

bone, which caused him to miss six of Phoenix's 15 postseason games against

Dallas and San Antonio (four against the Mavericks and two vs. the Spurs).

Despite that setback, Johnson raised his season averages by tallying 18.8 points

on 50.4% shooting from the field - 56 percent from long distance.

He was originally selected by the Boston Celtics with the 10th overall pick in

the 2001 NBA Draft as an early entry candidate, but was traded in midseason to

Phoenix (along with Milt Palacio, Randy Brown and a 2002 first-round draft pick

(Casey Jacobsen) in exchange for Rodney Rogers and Tony Delk).

Johnson participated in the Rookie Challenge at the 2002 All-Star Weekend in

Philadelphia and finished with 12 points, seven rebounds and four assists as the

Rookies scored a 103-97 win over the Sophomores. He was named NBA All-Rookie

Second Team in 2002, the first Sun to garner that honor since Shawn Marion in

1999-00.

In his third NBA campaign, Johnson was third in balloting for the 2003-04 Most

Improved Player Award after recording 16.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.4 apg and 1.1 spg in

40-plus minutes. He was one of only 11 NBA players to average more than 16

points, four rebounds and four assists, and eight of those players were 2004

All-Stars (Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, Ray Allen, Vince Carter,

Baron Davis, Paul Pierce and Steve Francis).

A 2001 early entry candidate from the University of Arkansas, Johnson scored

15.0 points and pulled down 6.1 rebounds in two years with the Razorbacks (.466

FG%, .406 3FG%, .753 FT%) after attending Little Rock Central (Ark.) High

School. He earned All-America honors as a sophomore and was named All-SEC in

both seasons.

Johnson, born June 29, 1981, is a native of Little Rock. He will wear #2 with

the Hawks.