ESPN's Marc Stein has a shocking scoop: Joe Johnson has asked the Phoenix Suns--the team that slathered him with wins, and in so doing converted him from a disappointment in Boston into a coveted free agent--not to match his free agent offer from the Atlanta Hawks.

"You've got to go where you're comfortable," Johnson said Friday in explaining his wish to swap Phoenix for Atlanta. With the Hawks unable to sign the restricted free agent outright, a sign-and-trade has emerged as the most comfortable compromise for Johnson and the two teams involved.

The story is, Johnson's tired of being the fourth wheel behind Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion. And in Atlanta, they're telling him he'll get to play point guard. According to Stein, Atlanta will send Boris Diaw, a trade exception, and two conditional first-round draft picks to Phoenix for Johnson. Stein also points out that Johnson's departure could make Dallas free agent Michael Finley's arrival more likely in Phoenix, cushioning the blow somewhat. While he's no Joe Johnson, to be sure, Diaw is not chump change. Plenty of NBA players have told me they hate to play against him, and you see his name on the whiteboard in the locker room when coaches point out which opposing players to be aware of. But as for Joe Johnson, I fear this will prove to be a sad day in his career. With Atlanta giving up so much for him--those picks will hurt hard in the long run for a talent-starved young team--I don't know when he'll get to win again. This team has been desperate for some time--throwing cap space at every big name free agent that comes down the pike, from Kenyon Martin to Eddy Curry. Joe Johnson is the first fish to bite at this lackluster franchise. Life as a Hawk will test Joe Johnson. Hard. He won't get as open. He won't shoot as high a percentage. He'll be playing a new position. He won't have Steve Nash and the coach of the year on his side. He's giving up a lot so that he can be the man. I'd be a lot happier if he could do what players on winning teams have always had to do: to put their egos aside for the sake of the group goal. It's not easy or fun at first, but it's smart.