Everyone knew he was available. O'Brien liked Johnson and viewed him as an asset. From his point of view, he preferred Johnson and a 2nd over a 1st from another team. Most fans and analysts disagree with O'Brien on Johnson's value. Hopkins also wants 20 million a year even though he is under contract for 3 years. Teams didn't want to surrender high draft picks then deal with a holdout or give him a huge raise.