Hawks courting Joe Smith?
Joe Smith (32) gave the Hawks all they could handle as he and his Cavaliers swept the birds out of the playoffs in May. The Hawks are in the process of recruiting him to help solidify their frontline rotation.
HAWKSVILLE - Who said the Hawks were done chasing big men this summer?
You didn’t hear it around these parts, at least not officially (from me).
Barring a last minute change of plans, veteran big man Joe Smith is scheduled to visit town on Wednesday, according to two of my best spies. And the Hawks are not out of the running for Ben Wallace, who has yet to agree to terms with Detroit (though, one of my best spies up north insists that it’s just a matter of time before Wallace returns to the Pistons).
A 6-10, 225-pound veteran of 14 NBA seasons, Smith showed he has plenty left in the tank against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.3 points and 1.2 blocks in a little over 21 minutes per game. He’s got that “old man” strength that belies his seemingly slender frame. I watched him push the Hawks’ around in that series whenever he was on the floor.
Smith’s numbers (10.8 points and 5.5 rebounds) in the Cavaliers’ first round sweep of Detroit were even more impressive. He’s capable of that kind of production off the bench for a quality team, which speaks volumes for the type of veteran and pro that he has become since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 1995 draft.
Pair him on the frontline with Zaza Pachulia behind Josh Smith and Al Horford and the Hawks’ paper-thin frontcourt rotation suddenly takes on a different look. While it’s far from the “championship move” many have argued for around here, it’s certainly a move in the right direction (provided the Hawks are able to recruit him and sign him at some point between now and training camp).
The Hawks’ other big man options aren’t exactly ready to fade into the background. I mentioned Randolph Morris the other day and he’s shown well so far. Jeff Schultz caught up with him after Tuesday morning’s mini-camp practice for an interesting update on what he’s been up to this summer.
Another player to keep an eye on for a training camp invite is Othello Hunter. His minutes were sparse as a rookie last season, but the strides he made (physically and in his game) have been stunning to see from a year ago this time. It’s not clear right now what his future is with the Hawks. There are only going to be so many roster spots to go around. And without a guaranteed contract heading into camp, he’ll be gambling a bit if he comes to camp with the Hawks. But I like his game and what he brings in terms of a no-nonsense reserve that’s going to get to it whenever he’s asked.
I spoke with an Eastern Conference executive Tuesday afternoon that wanted to know what the Hawks were going to do with Solomon Jones. Funny, Jones asked me the same thing last week. I answered his question with the same question he asked me. He’s a restricted free agent, so you almost expect his summer to last a bit longer than most. Still, he’ll become an option for not only the Hawks but plenty of other teams looking to fill out the rotation with a long and athletic (even if he’s still a bit undersized) big that can play spot minutes when necessary.
Garret Siler has his chance to make an impression over the next 36 hours or so. He played well enough in summer league to get some looks from several other teams, so the Hawks will have to make a decision about what they want to do with him regarding training camp. One hilarious story that’s already made the mini-camp rounds is that it takes an entire roll of tape to properly tape up one of his ankles. I have to admit he is one of the largest human beings I can remember cutting corners in the hawks’ locker room during my time here. It’s on the floor, though, and particularly against Morris, Hunter and guys like Earl Barron, where we’ll be able to gauge Siler’s readiness for the rigors of the NBA.
There are still a few names left on the free agent radar, the most notable being Johan Petro. He hasn’t signed anywhere yet and could still be an option for the Hawks should things not work out with one of the other guys mentioned above.
Enough about these big men already. It’s time for some actual scrimmage action here shortly (the next time the Hawks have a mini-camp that has more drills than scrimmages in the first two days we should stage a non-violent protest in the name of the game). The blog will be open for business all night. I’ll be dipping back and forth between the blog and Twitter throughout the evening if you want to join the party.
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922 comments Add your comment
doc
July 26th, 2009
12:01 am
nire i am sure you saw it and you might remember me pointing this out after you referred to 82 games; the teams best plus minus groupings were with jj at three.
nunna yo bizznezz
July 26th, 2009
12:03 am
gardner will not be the savior,he will just be better..
crawford will be looked upon by fans to play more minutes because of joes production or lack thereof..
gardner will make the team based on what he does in pre-season and will get some minutes early on,but,woody is loyal to his guys not matter how they’re stinking up the joint and no matter how bad they are playing..and this will be part of the reason this will be his last season as our coach..
and anakin joe,lmao..how bout i buy u a beer at espn zone when u will see what i do now..
i pointed it out on my show i co-hosted last year that we would not be a 50 win team but would win 45(2 off),and how increased minutes would slow joes production down and how he would not show up in the playoffs..
don’t get me wrong,i love joe johnson..
we are a better team with him..but,this will not turn out like we all want it because of his decreased production,and now aging legs..
u see how he played the few games after the all star break in which he got a lil r and r time before the allstar game??
and soon as he got back into the fro,BAMM! he slowed it down again,and that was before he got back into his 39+mins per game status again..
so,that shows me that he got some life taking out of his legs,and his running and jumping and stamina is leaving..
great coaches see issues before they come and they act!!
good coaches see issues when they come,and react!!!
woody lets it happen and does nothing..
does it make any sense to any of u to play a 7 or 8 man rotation all season long??
woody will look for bibby to develope teague..he will have no part of it except telling him to look for the open man and dribble like this or that..and thats all woody will do..
but as far as talking to him..explaining the game to him..and giving him pointers on how to improve his game and what he is doing wrong and what he is doing right,BET,THAT ALL OF THAT WILL BE COMING FROM BIBBS!!
ANAKIN JOE,
all star break,espn zone,the pitcher of beer,hot wings and whatever u want will be on me..
u will see what i mean by the effect that gardner will have on this blog and how u guys will still be screaming to woody about this team..
p.s.
we won’t win 45 this year..
maybe,40..
nunna yo bizznezz
July 26th, 2009
12:12 am
p.s.
if u think my comments on here are wild and crazy then u should hear them on the sports show i co-host..
we had the 3rd top internet sports talk show in the land and now we’re on a bigger network..
we’ll be broadcasting on wednesday nites from 6-8pm and mondays from 1-2pm..and will be doing a few stints down at underground in september and october live..
its the making your point sports talk show on,
http://www.sportsjourney.com
we will be up on the net the 1st wednesday in august..
dave the mvp
Ken Strickland
July 26th, 2009
12:13 am
BIG RAY-We’re still on the same page. Now, what does it say about someones basketball IQ when you post for everyone to see that JOSH SMITH WAS THE ATLANTA HAWKS 2ND BEST SCORER(15.6)AND HAD THE 2ND BEST SHOOTING PERCENTAGE(.492)AMONG PLAYERS AVERAGING MORE THAN 5 SHOTS PER GM. YET, HE’S STILL THE ONLY ONE GETTING CRITICIZED FOR HIS SHOOTING?
I would like to see him improve his midrange scoring around the basket. So far, his scoring is primarily limited to 3pt shooting and dunking. Using the glass, and his jumping ability, would make him deadly within 6-12 feet of the basket. I’m really surprised that DWilkins hasn’t made that an issue with him, considering how much he relied on the bank shot, especially early in his career.
JSmith took fewer shots(849 to Bibby’s 1005), scored more points(15.6 to Bibby’s 14.9) and shot a higher percentage(492% to Bibby’s 436%). Statistically, he seems to be doing a better job of what you’re complaining about than the ones you consider good shooters.
I GUESS THERE REALLY ARE PEOPLE WHO ACTUALLY BELIEVE SARAH PALIN IS INTELLECTUALLY INCLINED.
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
12:17 am
SCHUHMANN REFERRING TO JOSH GETTING “DIRTY”
“Went to the floor for a loose ball (offensive rebound).”
IT’S OK EVERYBODY, SCHUMANN’S OKAY. FALSE ALARM, I DON’T HAVE TO GIVE HIM THE BUZINESS OVER THE INTERNET LOL.
PLAY ON!!!!
Capt obvious
July 26th, 2009
12:17 am
nunna, that is a big joke right?
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
12:21 am
Yessir!!! J-Smoove turning it up!!!
“then a Smith steal turns into a Young pass to Iguodala for a sick dunk on the break. @AI9 got UP!”
“Josh Smith turning it around. Baseline drive + 1 (around Jeff Green).”
GO! GO! GO!
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
12:24 am
“Smith just sent a Mayo layup into the 2nd row.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!!!!!
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
12:31 am
“Smith just sent a Mayo layup into the 2nd row.”
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!!!
o_0
macaroni tony
July 26th, 2009
12:35 am
Josh Smith turning it around. Baseline drive + 1 (around Jeff Green).
niremetal
July 26th, 2009
12:50 am
Doc,
Actually, the 4 best regularly-used units under Win% (which takes into account the fact that some units were used less frequently than others, unlike the total +/- stat, which is just total net), which only had one thing in common – none of them had Marvin and Josh on the floor at the same time:
Bibby-Murray-Johnson-Williams-Horford 69.2%
Bibby-Johnson-Williams-Horford-Pachulia 68.1%
Murray-Johnson-Evans-Smith-Pachulia 68.0%
Bibby-Murray-Johnson-Smith-Horford 62.5%
Take that as you will…
niremetal
July 26th, 2009
1:02 am
Melvin,
I think you musta skipped over a couple paragraphs in my reply, man. I definitely said that they will be better with Odom. My point was simply 1) that Odom doesn’t resolve either of their two biggest problems; and 2) that the Lakers didn’t do that well when Odom was their “Robin” playing next to an even better “Batman” back when Odom was younger and had a better jump shot.
If the Lakers couldn’t win more than 45 games with Kobe as Batman, Odom as Robin, and Phil Jackson as Alfred, why would the Heat do any better with Wade as Batman, Odom as Robin, and Spoelstra as Alfred (and with Robin being a few years older and less agile than he used to be)?
I think they’ll be better. I just think Crawford is as big an upgrade for us as Odom is for them, given our teams’ respective needs going into the offseason…
Melvin
July 26th, 2009
1:21 am
Nire,
I only said that the Heat team with Odom would be better than last year Heat team without Odom. I’m not saying the Heat team with Odom will be better than the Lakers team with Odom. You made the Lakers references. Then I ask the question do adding Odom make them better than the Hawks. I never said it did. Just wanted the blog input…
niremetal
July 26th, 2009
2:04 am
Haha…I think we’re talking across each other. I’ll just put it simply: No, I don’t think the Heat catch us with the addition of Odom. I think the Bulls are the most likely to team to catch us.
I actually think that at least 1 of the “big 3″ East teams will backtrack out of the Top 3, but that’s a different story…
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
2:26 am
Drew Gooden to the Mavs…..
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:32 am
all you hawks got to knoe is that you will be either 4th, 5th or 6th in the east (depends if bozzer or odom go to the heat) but you will play the bulls or heat you have 50 percent chance to beat them i guess but thats when its over cause the big boys in the east are having a arms race in the east and you hawks dont want none of it…. line ups
magic: dwight,bass,lewis,vince, meer
celtics: perkins,garnett,pierce,allen,rondo
Cavs:shaq,andy,bron,west,mo
take your pick….. lol
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
2:37 am
MagicFan: Joe Joshnson, Mike Bibby, Jamal Crawford, Flip Murray, Jeff Teauge, Josh Smith, Al Horford, Marvin Williams
….nuff said.
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:38 am
lol never heard of half of those and you have a very thin bench i bet orlando or celtics bench is better then your starting line up!!!!
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:40 am
how bout dwight,gortat,meer,vince,lewis,petrus,barnes,bass,anderson
niremetal
July 26th, 2009
2:41 am
Ding
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
2:43 am
Gooden to the Mavs:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4356529
WOW, Just a 1yr deal (2010 and whatnot), Sund probably didn’t like his game. I agree, He’s soft…not what we needed and he constantly takes palys off during the course of games.
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:44 am
look the hawks are a nice little up and coming team but what there missing is a real super star leader…
they got good peices like joe,josh and al but other than that they are not a deep team and need to get better bench players like crawford but your missing a slasher and a big body… plus marvin is not proven he should haven been the number 2 pick plus your rookie teauge has not even proven he can play in the league….
magicsuckass
July 26th, 2009
2:44 am
Matt Barnes and Ryan Anderson and Pietrus. Ooooooooooooo I’m terrified of that bench.
Talk to us mid-year after you realize that Vince Carter is not an upgrade over Hedo in The Fat Van Gundy’s offense.
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:47 am
look i would say that joe is the best player in the hawks over all he would be maybe at the best the 3th or 4th best player on the magic or celtics and even maybe the sucky cavs plus dint the cavs sweep the bad azz team of yours????
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
2:50 am
Dude, Anthony Johnson is your backup PG…..Seriously??? We traded him away to get better a year and a half ago, and What has vince done lately?(CHOKE!!) I still love him though.
You lost a good young asset on Courtney Lee and Your best Playmaker in Hedu…..you guys won’t make it out of the second round.
Tony Battie > Brandon Bass Dude is 6′8(Should be a Small Forward.)
You guys just lost three starters form a Championchip contending squad.
If you think Matt Barnes and Ryan Anderson can make up the difference in loosing Turk you’re delusional. BTW, Vince is a BALLSTOPPER never been a great playmaker for others.
DING!
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:51 am
tell me in what position are the hawsk better than the magic lets see
dwight bass lewis vince meer
hoford smith williams johnson bibby
i would say you beat us AT power forward and thats about it…. 1 out of 5 better luck next time
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:54 am
so vince is a ballhog so wat the hell is crawford??? he is a selfish player that jacks up stupid shots he’s a selfish combo guard thats not even that good his numbers are way jacked up cause he played in golden state and new york were they dont know the word defense!!!
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
2:54 am
We’ll defenetly get the jump on you guys from the start as chemistry will be an issue at first. If it weren’t for injuries of our own last season we could have possibly stated our season 9-0…
And TRUST ME, you’ll met this kid soon enough….don’t say I didn’t warn you..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U29cvwn8hL0
He’s been Beasting Down here in Atlanta this Summer.
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
2:56 am
*meet
magicsuckass
July 26th, 2009
2:56 am
Give me JJ over Vince 8 days a week and Marvin over Rashard 3 days a week. Give me Zaza/Crawford/Teague/Evans over Gortat/Pietrus/Barnes/Anderson about 50 days a week.
And as I said, I doubt you’ll come back here once you that without Hedo, there’s no one to facilitate what Fat Van Gundy passes off as an offense.
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
2:58 am
and yea vince is not a playmaker but he manages to get 4.7 assist a game you know how many assist bibby gets 5 assist thats only 0.3 more and he is the point guard of the team…
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:01 am
damn to tell you the truth zaza and evans are players that played for the magic but they were crap so we let ya have them and lewis will destroy williams and joe is underrated but he would get destroyed by vince and dwight could destroy your whole team alone…
magicsuckass
July 26th, 2009
3:02 am
Vince = 20.8 ppg and 4.7apg for a team that won 34.
JJ = 21.4 ppg and 5.8 apg for a team that won 47.
Any questions?
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:03 am
Our offense Runs through JJ moreso that Bibby, that’s why his assits are down.
Also we got a couple Goons this season too. look out for 7ft 300 pound Garrett Siler LOOK DUDE UP, talk about a SPACE EATER….don’t say I didn’t warn you…he’s gonna be a sleeper. Everybody will be shocked ater we unleash this kid.
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:04 am
*After
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:04 am
who are the two time defending and about to make it three time defending southeastern division champions the orlando magic if your lucky the hawks will come in second never mind third cause miami gots the 2th spot locked down cause FLA runn’t like that…
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:07 am
We would’ve won more than 47 but we had a ton of injuries and, like you said, Our bench wasn’t deep last year, but We won’t have that problem this season.
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:07 am
wow i bet you i can find a 300 pound guy if i go to my local burger king that does not mean nothing and your banking your whole season on a 300 pound guy who is unproven and might get a heart attack before the season even starts i’ll take a 6 11 270 only 4 percent fat beast named dwight howard thank you very much…
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:09 am
we would have won more than 59 games if we dint loose jameer nelson, but you dont see me using excuses… and wat are ya doing to make your bench stronger??? we might have the best 12 man rotation in the league
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:10 am
You think Jameer Nelson is Better than Mike Bibby???? WOW, that’s Halarious.:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUHvwwSZKj4
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:12 am
wow i can show you a random youtube video of meers highlights too and yea meer is way better than old man bibby i dont even no why you re signed him waste of money….
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:13 am
tell me right now that you think the hawks are better than the magic!!! right now being truthful!!!
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:17 am
wow i just noticed that al horford not that good he averaged 11 points as a starter bass averaged almost 9 points of the bench but regardless i still thing al is a stud not a super star but a young stud…
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:18 am
Honestly, You guys have the edge AS OF RIGHT NOW. You’re already done gathering your squad for next season. We still haven’t finished signing guys. Once we finish the offseason though….we’ll see.
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:20 am
Our offense runs plays for our guards mostly. Our bigs just get the scraps. His numbers could and Should be a lot higher than that, But that’s on the coach….
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:23 am
to tell you the truth i dont think you guys are gonna be as good as the big 3 this season but its not about winning the champion ship its about getting the expirience and knowlege the hawks are a young team with some nice young pieces like smith, horford and williams by adding good veterans like joe and bibby you did good but you need more of the bench by the way i love flip hes great of the bench like peitrus for us…
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:23 am
Honestly you guys are lucky because you have one of the better coaches/sstems in the leauge….
Did I mention that we just traded for this guy?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUqjvt0oKvw&feature=related
He’s got like what Five 50+ games in his career? And he seems like a good passer to me. Just needed a good sqad with good players to pass too.
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:24 am
*Systems
magicfan23
July 26th, 2009
3:26 am
plus just 2 seasons back the magic were a joke but we had good pieces a young nucleus with howard,meer, and hedo we added lewis a good veteran that spreads the floor and some other ingredients and were in the finals in two or three years you could be on top of the east with the magic cause the celtics are getting old and the cavs might loose lebron
Ariose
July 26th, 2009
3:30 am
Yeah the Celts’ only have like one or two more good ears left in them. After that, We’ll be ready for the takeover lol.