It's a legal dispute but TMZ seems to think it's more than that. An Atlanta jeweler claims Joe Johnson owes them for jewelry he ordered, wore but never paid for. So Aydin & Co. sued Johnson earlier in the month. But "sources close to Johnson" claim the store's owner asked Johnson to wear the items on loan and allowed him to return them when he was done. But, report TMZ's sources, when Johnson tried to give the items back, the jeweler refused and slapped him with the bill instead.

The items in question: a white gold watch with diamonds, diamond beaded bracelet, black diamond stud earrings and a white gold bezel set rosary. Aydin claims the value of the jewelry plus legal costs and interest puts Johnson's bill at more than $260,000. We wonder if TMZ would even be interested in a lawsuit filed against an Atlanta player.