Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith says he’s not eager for trade
Josh Smith is aware of the trade speculation swirling around him. He knows much of that speculation is fueled by the belief that he desperately wants out of Atlanta.
But Smith said today he’s not eager to be traded, though he’s bracing for the possibility.
“I’m not saying I want [a trade] to happen but if it does I will just have to deal with it,” he said.
Smith said the Hawks haven’t told him anything about a trade. But he noted that players aren’t usually privy to the team’s internal deliberations until a deal is going down.
“Right now I’m with the Hawks,” he said. “I think we have a special group. I just want to win.”
There’s no doubt Smith is frustrated about the flak he took from fans, media and Larry Drew over his shot selection. But it still doesn’t seem as if he’s pushing the Hawks to get him out of town.
Meanwhile, the latest rumors have the Magic acquiring Andre Miller and his non-guaranteed 2011-12 deal from Portland and then using that as part of a bigger deal. And since Dwight Howard apparently wants to play with Smith, that naturally leads to speculation that the Magic would use Miller as part of a package to acquire Smith.
UPDATE: Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports the Miller-to-Orlando speculation is “overblown.”
UPDATE II: Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Hawks are trying to trade Smith to Minnesota for the No. 2 pick so they can select Turkish center Enes Kanter.
Kanter was ruled ineligible to play for Kentucky last season after the NCAA determined he played professionally in Europe. According to NBADraft.net, Kanter has a history of knee problems.
Hawks assistant GM Dave Pendergraft was asked last week about Kanter’s lack of competition for a year and lack of high-level competition at all.
“He played so well at the Hoop Summit against the best young players,” Pendergraft. “And then [scouts] saw him practice at Kentucky later in the year. With that body and that kind of physical maturity, when you weigh that in and rank your players, the teams in that mix are comfortable with the decision that they are going to make.”
NBA co-director of scouting Ryan Blake on Kanter:
“He missed a year of game experience, development in game situations. He’s a very unique player. He could have made a lot of money playing pro [overseas], but he wanted to come over here, learn the language and improve his skills. He felt that was the best way to develop. He is gifted fundamentally with all the skills he possesses. Another thing is you can look at a a guy’s work ethic and heart and desire. Here is a guy that doesn’t back down. He wants to play against anybody and wants to prove what he can do. He is highly skilled.”
Trading Smith as a salary dump makes little sense (and is complicated by the $4 million trade kicker his new team would have to pay). Smith is still only 25. He’s productive, versatile, and valuable. The two years and $26 million left on his contract runs neck-and-neck with Al Horford’s new deal as the best bargain on the team.
If the Hawks somehow managed to unload Marvin Williams’ contract in the process of trading Smith, then the salary dump angle would make more sense. It still wouldn’t be palatable from a basketball standpoint unless they could also replace Smith’s production in the deal but clearly Williams has the kind of deal they would gladly send away.
If the Hawks also were to work a trade that included Smith and brought them back a superior player (or at least a comparable player at center or small forward) for even a one-season run then it would make some sense from a basketball standpoint. If the Hawks were able to get productive young players and draft picks in a deal, and then turn those assets into something down the line, then that might be a successful path, too.
Of course, looming in the background (or maybe the foreground) of all this speculation about salary shedding: The Hawks gave the richest contract in the league to a player that even their GM doesn’t believe is an MVP candidate.
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
242 comments Add your comment
James on Pharr Rd
June 23rd, 2011
2:00 pm
So, who is leaking all the rumors that Josh wants out?
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
2:02 pm
Trade Al not Josh. Give Marvin away for a bag of chips. First!!!!
James on Pharr Rd
June 23rd, 2011
2:03 pm
MC-great idea with hanging Marvin’s contract on the neck of any trade proposal involving Josh. Are we involved with Golden State or Cleveland in any trade proposals revolving around Joe?
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
2:03 pm
Ya Moms is leaking it
Gary
June 23rd, 2011
2:03 pm
probably the Hawks, just to see who has interest in Smith.
Michael Cunningham
June 23rd, 2011
2:04 pm
@James on Pharr: “So, who is leaking all the rumors that Josh wants out?”
well, if you notice no one has reported that he’s asked for a trade. they just say he’s frustrated and would “welcome” a trade and likes specific teams. i’ve never understood that, though. Josh (or any player without a no-trade) has no control over whether he gets traded or to where.
Michael Cunningham
June 23rd, 2011
2:05 pm
@Rod: ouch . . . failed firstie.
UGA
June 23rd, 2011
2:08 pm
MC: Are we in the market to purchase or trade for a late first round pick or move up to the early second? thanks
Would we have any interest in Iguodala from the Sixers?
Sweet Lou from Utah
June 23rd, 2011
2:08 pm
Rod, trade Al instead of Josh? Really? Al is one of the top 5 or 6 centers in the NBA
and if playing at 4, would undoubtedly be one of the top two or three there. Smoove is not one of the top 6 or 8 pf’s in the league and can’s play anywhere else. Way too inconsistent.
UGA
June 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
Another thing for anyone………how STUPID would it be to trade Smith to Orlando, our division rival???!!
James on Pharr Rd
June 23rd, 2011
2:10 pm
There is a lot of desperation this off season and a lot more teams with cap that it would not shock me to see Joe Johnson in another uniform next year….At least, that is what all of us can hope for. But if Joe leaves, how bad will we regret losing Josh Smith down the road? Imagine Josh playing for a better coach….
Jesse
June 23rd, 2011
2:11 pm
They should be trading him the Philly for Iggy. Put JJ at the 3 and Iggy at the two. Let Al move to four and then find a center for Kirk’s expiring contract, with a back up PG.
Sherewshevsky
June 23rd, 2011
2:12 pm
Sure would be interesting to see Josh and Dwight playing in Atlanta.
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
2:12 pm
That would be dumb to send Smith to Orlando to play with Howard it should be the other way around have Howard come to his home town to play with Smith it would terrible trade were not getting any value in that deal .
Trojan
June 23rd, 2011
2:14 pm
Brilliance. ATL’s management is brilliant!
Michael Cunningham
June 23rd, 2011
2:17 pm
@UGA: “MC: Are we in the market to purchase or trade for a late first round pick or move up to the early second? thanks
Would we have any interest in Iguodala from the Sixers?”
not that i know of on either count. that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. as you might expect, things get chaotic and it’s hard to tell what’s true or not.
Michael Cunningham
June 23rd, 2011
2:19 pm
blog updates with Orlando Sentinel downplaying Miller to Orlando scenario.
ga peach
June 23rd, 2011
2:20 pm
I swear if they trade Josh for Andre Miller I’m going to uggghhhhhhhhhhh I’m so frustrated
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
2:25 pm
I think that would be good idea to go and get Andre Iguodala but i hear the Lakers are very interested .
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2011
2:27 pm
Only way you change the culture that enables this team to disappoint more often than not is to trade either Joe or Josh. I personally don’t view trading any other player as a cultural change to the team.
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
2:29 pm
It seem like its pointing in the direction that trade will happen my opinion if they trade Josh Smith get something with equal value don’t make the same mistake we did with Josh Childress .
hmmmm.......
June 23rd, 2011
2:31 pm
Trade him to portland for odens contract and their first round pick
KBP
June 23rd, 2011
2:31 pm
Hawks get Ryan Anderson, Marcus Camby(expiring contract), Andre Miller(expiring contract).
Magic get Josh and Kirk.
Denver gets Jameer Nelson.
In this 3 team deal, Hawks clearly win. Do it, Sund!
Does everyone think Marvin is worst offensively than he was in 2008-2009? Look at his career numbers and you will see far fewer shot attempts in 2009-2010, 2010-2011. He skill and talent is not the problem. The way he is being used is the problem
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
2:34 pm
Bret LaGree at Hoopinion has a perfect take on the whole Smoove trading scenario.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
2:40 pm
From Hoopinion:
Let’s ask the above questions with regard to Joe Johnson.
Good production? If you completely ignore defense.
Room for plausible improvement? He could shoot better next season.
Reasonable contract? No.
Result: the Atlanta Hawks are, reportedly, considering trade Josh Smith.
Trading Josh Smith is a defensible idea. It’s at least as plausible that he’s going to continue to be stubborn and undermine his talents as it is that he’ll improve one more time. But one can’t ignore that the consideration as to whether or not to trade Smith is influenced by the indefensible decision to give Joe Johnson $123 million. Trading Smith could improve the team but it’s more likely just to change the team. Smith’s trade value is at a two-year low and Johnson’s contract will continue to limit the organization’s flexibility.
Furthermore, a defensible idea does not guarantee competent execution. It was perfectly reasonable both for the Hawks decide they could keep just one of Marvin Williams and Josh Childress and to choose Williams. However, giving Williams $35 million to remain the team’s fifth- or sixth-option and getting a lone second-round pick four years later in exchange for Childress are both terrible allocations of resources.
Trading Josh Smith for a superior player or for a collection of young players and draft picks could help the Atlanta Hawks. Trading Josh Smith for a lesser player and using any leftover money to re-sign Jamal Crawford will almost certainly not.
Like LaGree, I can’t shake the feeling that a Smoove trade will be a) a direct result of giving Joe that contract, b) result in the Hawks acquiring lesser players, and c) will be yet another mistake made by Hawks management in an attempt to rectify previous mistakes, which has pretty much been the M.O. for them for the last six years.
chuckw/deadjournalist
June 23rd, 2011
2:43 pm
the hardest pill for any long-suffering hawks fan to swallow is any trade that doesn’t improve the team for the long-term. i’m not saying josh smith is d. wilkins, but this just feels it could end up like wilkins for manning all over again.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2011
2:46 pm
I guess fans need to read (ad nauseum) that the Hawks are offering Joe and Marvin before there could be any consideration given to trading Josh. Just because you want to trade someone, doesn’t mean it happens. All reports suggest that they wanted to trade Zaza last February (they even held him out of a game) but it didn’t happen. The leading argument against trading Josh seems to be “trade someone else instead”, as if that is as easy to do as make a layup. If they traded Marvin for a Diet Coke, that wouldn’t give us any immediate cap relief and we wouldn’t be a better team. But (seemingly) many fans would be content.
jason
June 23rd, 2011
2:46 pm
@Najeh
Those were some good points.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
2:47 pm
FTPB
“Folks are saying we’ve seen all we can see from Horford after observing his 4th year in the League.
But some of the same folks are still seeing such potential in Josh Smith after 7 years?
Very interesting.”
I don’t at all agree with the people who think Al has reached his potential. But in regards to comparing Al and Smoove, I think the fact that Smoove is only six months older than Al is more relevant than the number of years of NBA experience. I think each player’s potential to improve is roughly equal.
nba-stinks
June 23rd, 2011
2:49 pm
PLEASE MOVE WORTHLESS TEAM TO SEATTLE, NO NEED FOR THIS BORING LEAGUE TO BE IN ATLANTA, WHO CARES, SEATTLE IS A GREAT PLACE FOR THIS WORTHLESS TEAM,
EVERYONE SHOULD BOYCOTT EVERY GAME, SO THEY WILL LOSE MILLIONS AGAIN !!!!
nba STINKS !!! SO DOES RACIST MAYOR OF ATLANTA, !!!
decriz
June 23rd, 2011
2:52 pm
idiot move to ship Josh away.
best move would be to get Rick Adelman as head coach. (naturally, you have to fire Drew)
this team already has enough talent and pieces.
the right coach will do wonders.
and draft GREG SMITH in the second round!!!
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2011
2:52 pm
Najeh, Lagree is almost saying “until you can find a way to trade either Joe or Marvin… or better yet go back in time and fix those contract signings… let’s do nothing substantial with the roster”.
If Joe signed a contract last summer of 3/$42M, I would still think the team would need to make a trade to improve their performance in the ‘11-12 season.
chuckw/deadjournalist
June 23rd, 2011
2:54 pm
frankly, if the hawks are looking to make a basketball move, packaging marvin and josh makes perfect sense. a workable trade could be made might be able to be made with a team holding its own tough-to-deal contract (say, the spurs.) who are willing to give up good pieces to get someone whose age and talent make it worthwhile.
i think joe johnson can be traded. the hawks could even end up with a good player out of the deal. but they’d have to be willing to take on a contract (or contracts) to do so. portland, golden state, cleveland, the a fore mentioned spurs all have at least one bad contact they’d like to get rid of … but there is no way the hawks will be able to salary dump jj.
my name should be capt. obvious.
it’s back to the old adage of spending wisely. something the hawks haven’t done in recent years.
KBP
June 23rd, 2011
2:55 pm
JJ’s contract is an ASG problem. Not a bash JJ for taking the money problem. I am a JJ fan but he is not a max deal player. If the Bulls were so infatuated with him last summer, then why not offer him on a sign and trade for Noah and Gibson. Scoring is clearly the Bulls weakness and say what you want, JJ can score. I would have let him walk and get nothing rather than cripple the franchise with that contract. We would have won 44 games this year without him and again I am a JJ fan.
hmmmm.......
June 23rd, 2011
2:55 pm
Id rather the hawks move jj
mountain_jim
June 23rd, 2011
2:56 pm
That Hoopinion article made great points about wasting resources concerning Marvin’s contract and Childress trade for a 2nd. And about overpaying Joe so badly. I hate Sund’s management and trades, and am sure that any trade of Josh would be another terrible waste, as his above decisions were.
drmaryb (*_*)
June 23rd, 2011
2:56 pm
FTPB
Remember The Alamo!
vava74! What’s up baby boy? How’s everything in Brazil?
______________
While you’re on the topic of Big-Al? Don’t forget about Coach Drew.
IDK how you feel about his body of work? But, running Jamal out there at PG and for buckets, when what we really needed was defensive stops, was a monumental and ongoing issue. Especially, while Teague was not getting any burn whatsoever!
And, remember the first 13 or so games, when the motion offense was a thing of beauty?
Rick “Bones” Barry and all the NBA TV guys were raving about the new look Hawks offense?
I was disgusted to see Big – Al and Josh standing outside of the paint raining jumpers? I said, “The farther my bigs play away from the basket, the smaller they appear!”
I ranted until I got a migraine about The Boss – Al becoming the equivalent of “The Boss Hog” a (Fat White Guy, wearing a white suit, a white cowboy hat and driving a white cadillac with steer horns as the hood ornament)! For those too young to know:
The Dukes of Hazard was a country-bumpkins TV show that gave
“Red Necks” new life. In other words, The Boss Hog was a damned JOKE! That’s what The Boss Al became to me then and now, when Coach Drew parked his big azz outside of the paint.
Oh yeah! And Josh was in tow. In closing, I blame the Coach for not putting ALL of his assets in their proper schemes, sets and for not running the right plays at the right time!
FIRE DREW
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
3:05 pm
@nba-stinks
and its past your bedtime, there buddy
NBA wouldnt want that to happen at all. Atlanta brings in alot of money to the NBA and lose them will seriously hurt them, that including business, companys and job could be lost if they leave.
So think about it before you post trash like that.
Back to the subject, Josh is not going to get trade if that happens, ASG will need sell the Hawks ASAP because they will lose money faster than the Trashers.
doc
June 23rd, 2011
3:08 pm
loser rod
kind of reminds me of marvin always finishing second. heh heh
mountain_jim
June 23rd, 2011
3:09 pm
FIRE DREW and SUND and SELL THE TEAM to someone with a CLUE!
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
3:16 pm
The latest rumor is Smoove for the #2 from Minnesota. You’re thinking “Yes! Derrick Williams!”, right? Nope. Apparently Sund loves Enes Kanter. I swear to God this organization invents new ways to screw things up.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
3:17 pm
Kanter is not a bad player, but he is no potential superstar, and he is no more of a center than Al. Billy Knight > Rick Sund.
chuckw/deadjournalist
June 23rd, 2011
3:18 pm
najeh –
and we all know najeh’s track record on drafting big-men. bust, bust, bust …
Sleepy
June 23rd, 2011
3:18 pm
We are screwed the pieces dont fit and our only hope is that the gm can somehow pull off perfect trades for scarce pieces that do. We believe our best players to be top 15-30 players in the league and yet over the past year there have been 5 top 15 players who have changed teams and weve simply watched holding onto our “core” . Its flat out madness .
They are talented but the pieces simply dont fit and while it worked for a while based on talent alone as the East has gained in talent our team is being exposed . Over the past year weve added 4 all- nba caliber players to the East including the new MVP .
Nate D
June 23rd, 2011
3:18 pm
Smith i hope we do trade he does not play to his game and is lazy and is also not a 3. I would be fine to move smith to the lakers and hinrich for bynum and odom but that not going to happen. I hear new J and boston and houston wants him but they have nothing to trade for him. Unless you want a Jeff,allen,joe,garnett,and horford lineup which is not that bad. Orlando does intrigue me though i would be fine with a smith, and marvin for Turkgolu and 1st round pick from them and reddick that way we dont have to have jamal resign and we keep hinrich and teague and use the first round pick on the southern cal guy that play C and jason collins and zaza can teach him. We can have a Teague joe turk, horford The 1st round guy and still a enoough money to stack the bench.
Dozer
June 23rd, 2011
3:18 pm
“I just want to win” – leaves out “as long as I can do whatever I want on the court when I want to do it”……he is not the kind of player that you can expect a winning effort from night-in, night-out. He’s a perennial high-maintenance head case that has always been and always will be more of a tease than the real deal./
Jt
June 23rd, 2011
3:24 pm
I know that Josh Smith is an enigma. He is frustrating for the true Hawk fan. Cause sometimes he is the best player on the floor (of either team) and at other times he can make you cuss out loud. But, you know, I blame the Hawks franchise as much as I blame Josh. They have mishandled him. Here is a guy who has as much talent as any Hawk since Dominique- and in many ways mirrors him. He grew up in ATL and grew up a Hawks fan. Won the slam dunk championship in his 2nd year (I think it was 2nd yr) and did it in Nique’s jersey( which demostrated a sense of Hawks history and respect). Yet the franchise failed to embrace him and market him and he knows it. I know he doesn’t have Nique’s personality but they are similar in so many ways and yet Hawks fans love DW. He grew as a player and Josh is able to do so as well. I do not question Josh’s commitment to winning- I think someone like Woodson was needed to bring a perspective to him. But now what? Who failed? He has gotten better every year. Who would you rather keep right now if you could choose- Horford and Josh and get rid of JJ? Or keep Horford and JJ and trade Josh? I say keep Josh and Horford. I think he has held up his end of expectations based upon where he was drafted and future potential- I am not sure the Hawks have done so.
Wabe
June 23rd, 2011
3:24 pm
That article that Najeh posted in his 2:40 post is super on point.
O'Brien
June 23rd, 2011
3:24 pm
I disagree that JJ is not a good defensive player. But Lagree made a valid point;
Furthermore, a defensible idea does not guarantee competent execution. It was perfectly reasonable both for the Hawks decide they could keep just one of Marvin Williams and Josh Childress and to choose Williams.
However, giving Williams $35 million to remain the team’s fifth- or sixth-option and getting a lone second-round pick four years later in exchange for Childress are both terrible allocations of resources..
O'Brien
June 23rd, 2011
3:27 pm
Najeh,
Maybe Rick would pass on Derrick Williams because he has been talking to “it was not a bad pick”, and the last thing we need is somebody else to come in and take more shots way from Marvin.
That being said, we’ve seen Sund draft Petro, Sene, and Swift in the first round, in consecutive years. So I would not be surprised if he drafts Katner.
I would be very disappointed though.
allan in texas
June 23rd, 2011
3:27 pm
What else would be coming the Hawks way besides the #2 pick from Minnesota? There’s got to be more just to make the salaries match up with Josh Smith. Beasley perhaps?
UGA
June 23rd, 2011
3:34 pm
Minny can absorb his contract, we must really want to get rid of him
chuckw/deadjournalist
June 23rd, 2011
3:35 pm
allan – minny’s under the cap. they might have to include someone like a. randolph to make whatever little bit of money needed, work. but it would be anyone of note.
chuckw/deadjournalist
June 23rd, 2011
3:35 pm
wouldn’t*
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
3:36 pm
Sweet Lou from Utah,
“Rod, trade Al instead of Josh? Really? Al is one of the top 5 or 6 centers in the NBA
and if playing at 4, would undoubtedly be one of the top two or three there. Smoove is not one of the top 6 or 8 pf’s in the league and can’s play anywhere else. Way too inconsistent.”
Really? He would be one of the top 2 or 3 at the 4 huh. Maybe you forgot about Nowitski, Aldridge, Bosh, Garnett, Duncan, Gasol, Randolph, Love, Amare, and maybe even Boozer. Horford is not a top 10 power forward in this league. Josh has been a top 10 power forward in the league for most of the years he played power forward, barely missing the All-Star game a couple of years. Josh’s numbers have been better than Al’s for most of his career, except for rebounding, FG%, and freethrow percentage, all while being one of the top defensive players in the league, and no question the best defender on this team. Really, what’s so hard to understand? Also Al is an “All Star”, so we probably would be able to get a little more back. Have you watched the playoffs the last couple of years? All Star Al has been MIA, nt Josh.
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
3:37 pm
CNNSI reporting Josh Smith to the T-Wolves for #2 pick (Kanter) and Beasley. Beasely included to make the $$$ match up.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
3:41 pm
The hawks are trading the most exciting and best player on team how dum is that, soon as the hawks get closer to become a top team in the east somthing happen, the MOJO must be real the hawks will never succed in atlanta, it is obviously that owner ship is cutting pay just like thrasher, look for this team 2 go back 2 the bottom of the league.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
Jason
June 23rd, 2011
3:41 pm
man i would love Beasely and Kanter for Smith
TC
June 23rd, 2011
3:41 pm
@Gold Dawg – Just read that, I like it but cant see it happening. Would love to have Kanter, and Beasley is a better option than Marvin Williams
O'Brien
June 23rd, 2011
3:42 pm
IMO, if Al goes back to the Al we all liked his first 3 years in the league, then he would be a top 5 center in the league. But right now, he does not have what it takes to be a top 10 PF.
The only thing keeping Josh from being a top 10 PF is Josh.
coachx
June 23rd, 2011
3:42 pm
Hawks have offered Smoove for T-Wolves #2 pick and are eyeing Kanter:
http://www.hawksquawk.net/community/index.php/topic/360615-hawks-have-offered-smith-to-the-wolves-for-the-2-to-draft-kanter/
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
3:43 pm
ASG GO BACK TO THE HOLE WHERE YOU CAME FROM, WHAT A BUST, DESTROYING BOTH FRANCHISE.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
3:44 pm
I would do it in a heartbeat. Starting 5…
C – Kanter
PF – Horford
SF – Beasley
SG – JJ
PG – Teague
Looks pretty solid to me.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
3:45 pm
For any one think this is a good trade must be dinking that grape coolaid with extra sugar.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Smith Not Eager For Trade/Marv Will Being Dealt/Hawks Trade Rumors Fly - True Sports Core
June 23rd, 2011
3:45 pm
[...] [...]
Michael Cunningham
June 23rd, 2011
3:46 pm
Blog updates with Wojo report that Hawks want to trade Smoove to Minnesota for No. 2 pick to select Enes Kanter.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
3:48 pm
GOLD DAWG that the most retarted lineup in history of basketball, 15 wins 67 loses.
how in the world this trade make the hawks better ?
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
3:48 pm
doc,
“loser rod
kind of reminds me of marvin always finishing second. heh heh”
Yeah, MC got me on that one. You do remember our discussion on the NBA finals though don’t you? You were big on Miami, and I told you Dallas in 6. Went to Vegas to pick up my bread, which made me a huge WINNER. I have not been wrong too many times on this blog. Just think if Sund and some of you listened to me about Marvin Williams 4 years ago. LOL
Common Sense
June 23rd, 2011
3:49 pm
Bottom line is that this team has plateaued. Josh is a great player and so is Horford, but someone’s got to go or we’ll be watching 2nd round exits for the next four years. I would love to get two young players at the 5 and 3 that could develop and make this team more of a threat. It’s time to change things up.
If we go to 2, we could grab Derrick Williams, pretty much Josh Smith, but with a jump shot…
Jason
June 23rd, 2011
3:49 pm
Darrell seriously? you think Smith is worth all those wins alone?? Beasley is an upgrade over Williams in any scenario, and having a legit center, Al can play PF. we MIGHT could even resign Jamal! 15 wins? ur an idiot
jason
June 23rd, 2011
3:50 pm
If this deal goes down, We will have a defensive starting line up.
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
3:51 pm
I dont get this trade…kanter wont play for another 2 years didnt the hawks already draft a player who isnt nba ready? who will replace josh?
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
3:52 pm
DS – I guess you prefer 45 – 37 and losing again in the 2nd round. The team is not getting by CHI, BOS or MIA the way it is constructed.
Common Sense
June 23rd, 2011
3:52 pm
Kanter will play next year
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
3:54 pm
Have not seen much of Canter, but I can’t say that I would be oppsed to this trade. Beasley is a solid 3 that can play the 4. Al would get his wish to play the 4. I’m a Josh guy, but this trade makes sense for us, but it makes no sense for Minn.
Ray
June 23rd, 2011
3:54 pm
@ Gold Dawg crappiest line-up all time.
I would love Kanter, but Beasley hell no none of that makes sense.
If you trade Josh the other team has to at least give us about 6 players plus 3 draft picks talking 3 great players, 2 good players, and probably 1 bad player(cause every player isn’t that great.
For example we trade Josh to cleveland you gvie them Josh, Marvin, Powell, Jamal, Collins, Etan
We get back 2 first round picks the second round picks J.J Hickson, Ramon Session, Gibson, Vaerajo, two other players.
I know that’s overdone, but that’s an example of how much Josh is worth imo to this franchise.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
3:54 pm
If hawks trade josh for the number 2 pick and get derrick william wes johnson then i would say yes.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ray
June 23rd, 2011
3:57 pm
R.I.P Phillips Arena now under new management known as the library factory. Coming in October.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
3:57 pm
Look the hawks need a superstar and derrick william is that guy, and sign free agent center the hawks will be back in business.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
mountain_jim
June 23rd, 2011
3:58 pm
You watch – Sund will throw in next year’s #1 – he just about always overpays to make his trades.
Spudster
June 23rd, 2011
3:58 pm
Drafting the turkish center? Smells like huge potential for another wasted draft bust, not fond of Euro biggs, how bout those great picks used on Sheldon & Marvin, the Williams busts??? Billy Knight with the we need more bigs crap, we HAVE to get a REAL center but this guy aint it!
Hawks try to deal Josh Smith for Wolves’ No. 2 pick – Yahoo! Sports | Price Per Head Blog
June 23rd, 2011
3:59 pm
[...] Rumors: Hawks Offer Josh Smith For No. 2 Pick, Want Enes KanterSB Nation (blog)Examiner.com -Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -SportingNews.comall 114 news [...]
Elliot Garcia
June 23rd, 2011
4:00 pm
Al is way better than Smoove!!!
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
4:01 pm
Hawks cant trade consective #1 picks (Danny Manning rule)
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
4:01 pm
STARTER TEAGUE, JOE, DERRICK, HORFORD, KWAME OR DALEMBERT
BENCH HINRICH, DAMIEN, WES JOHNSON, MARVIN, ZAZA.
RESERVE PAPE SY, COLLINS
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
4:02 pm
horford can shoot better than josh but hes not better…horford is soft like chris bosh
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
4:03 pm
I like Josh Smith but at some point you have to change this up some. Hawks need a PG, SF and PG Hopefull we found are PG against CHI in the playoffs. The trade gives us a C and SF…How old is Beasley, like 22 and wasn’t he a #2 pick like 4 years ago?
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
4:03 pm
Kanter over Williams can you say Chris Paul all over again !
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
4:03 pm
DERRICK WILLIAM WILL BE A BEAST IN THE NBA.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!
Matt
June 23rd, 2011
4:04 pm
MC, SI is reporting the Hawks are about to be sold. Who is the mystery buyer?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/ian_thomsen/06/23/hawks.sale/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp
jason
June 23rd, 2011
4:05 pm
I don’t aww why most of you are so upset about. Enes Kanter.. Very Very Very Good Rebounder. Post moves are unstoppable. Hardworker. Beasly, Very good Offensively Just as good or maybe even better than smoove on defense. HELLO AND WE SAVE ON CAP SPACE. SUMMER 2012 HERE WE COME!!
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:06 pm
I doubt the ‘Wolves will do it, but the trade makes a ton of sense for them.
You can have a 20 year old #2 pick, or a known commodity in Josh for that pick.
Almost always you take the known for the unknown commodity. Derrick may turn out to be terrible, we really don’t know.
And the move makes sense for the Hawks.
Center – Kanter and ZaZa
PF – Al
And we free up money to re-sign Jamal, which is Rick Sund’s stated intention.
So if we have the exact same team, and the same Coach, except we have Kanter instead of Josh in the lineup, are we a better team next season?
I say no, unless Kanter really surprises us.
But again, the trade will probably not happen
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
4:06 pm
Its looks like everybody is running it from CBSSports to FOXSports, maybe that trade will happen.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
4:08 pm
JOSH FOR NUMBER 2# DERRICK WILLIAM AND WES JOHNSON THIS IS A PERFECT TRADE FOR THE HAWKS, plus it free up more money 2 sign free agent center.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:11 pm
I hope the new owners are Ted Turner and Arthur Blank.
Good story Matt!!
TruthSeeker
June 23rd, 2011
4:11 pm
I’m intrigued by the Kanter rumors, if only because it’d be something different. I still like Smoove and think he can be great under the right circumstances, but a dominant center (if Kanter ends up becoming one) can win you a championship. Also, the move would allow Al to shift to PF, where he might finally reach his full potential.
Having said that, it’s an extremely risky move. It almost certainly makes us worse in the short-term, so if we do make this deal I hope Sund is really, truly, 100% sold on Kanter.
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
4:12 pm
What is going on right now, everything is going to Hell in a handbasket.
The Atlanta Hawks are on the verge of being sold, two league sources told SI.com Thursday.
One of the sources confirmed that the sale is about to be consummated, but declined to identify the buyer.
The news was expected to come as a surprise to team officials of the Hawks, who were not aware a sale was imminent as they prepared for the NBA draft. SI.com learned of the sale hours before the draft, though the news is not expected to influence the Hawks’ decisionmaking during the draft.
There have been reports of potential trades regarding Hawks forward Josh Smith, but no such deal is viewed as imminent.
The Hawks ownership group last month sold the Atlanta Thrashers to a group that will relocate the franchise to Winnipeg next season. The Hawks owners have spent the last two to three years seeking minority investors in the NBA team.
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
4:13 pm
Is this news true about Hawks being sold to mystery buyer according CNN/ SI and i hope if we do trade for the # 2 pick it is Derrick Williams .
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:14 pm
I’m not sure Beasley will be involved in this trade. If he is, the Hawks are stupid to not pull the trigger.
Throw in Marvin and get Johnny Flynn while your at it. I still think he can be a good backup PG in this League, maybe even a starter.
Paddy
June 23rd, 2011
4:15 pm
Marvin Williams is a Hawk till his contract runs out. There just can’t be any takers for him because of his cost and limited skills!!
I don’t see the Hawks making any moves.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
4:18 pm
The news of a possible sale is GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:18 pm
I would guess ASG would pocket Josh’s salary, split between them if the team is sold and Josh is traded.
Typical ASG operating procedure. I know, it may not happen that way, but it wouldn’t surprise me.
Inside Guy
June 23rd, 2011
4:19 pm
Hawks being sold? Big draft day trade? Who cares? How is Mark Richt and his trip to Africa? I need an update from this fine paper’s embedded reporters.
Matt
June 23rd, 2011
4:27 pm
I will laugh my @$$ off if we send J Smoove’s whiny butt off to Minnesota. Go buy a parka, bro!
Freshmaker
June 23rd, 2011
4:28 pm
Nobody cares about UGA football. No titles in 30 years = worthless program.
jason
June 23rd, 2011
4:29 pm
@Freshmaker
Wrong blog dude.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
4:29 pm
http://youtu.be/mYBZXM5toHE
Section 303
June 23rd, 2011
4:29 pm
Please, please, please make the Minny deal happen! I will be dancing in the streets. Trade Josh to Minny for the #2 pick! Would be awesome! I’ve been calling for that since the season ended.
EmirS.
June 23rd, 2011
4:29 pm
WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
Milwaukee has a three-way deal with Charlotte and Sacramento, sources say
WojYahooNBA Adrian Wojnarowski
Partial of deal: The Bucks get Stephen Jackson, Shaun Livingston, sources say. Charlotte gets the 7th pick and Corey Maggette.
.
Trojan
June 23rd, 2011
4:30 pm
Freshmaker: If you felt that way you would not have commented. It hurts don’t it?
Freshmaker
June 23rd, 2011
4:30 pm
Why is Kanter a legit C though? He’s only 6′11, or one inch taller than Horford. Him and Beasley though might be a good combo. How does this deal work for Minny though? They’ve got Love at the 4. Do they really want Josh at the 3?
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
4:30 pm
WES JOHSON REMIND ME OF RUDY GAY.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
EmirS.
June 23rd, 2011
4:30 pm
Wonder what sac-town got……
Freshmaker
June 23rd, 2011
4:30 pm
Trojan: Your comment makes no sense. This is a basketball blog and I’m trying to keep it on topic.
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm
We have 2 really good PF’s. Might as well flip one for positions you actually need…SF and C.
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm
JOSH FOR 2# DERRICK WILLIAM AND WES JOHNSON WOULD BE A STEAL FOR THE HAWKS.
http://youtu.be/ze3NXkUmLKA
cp
June 23rd, 2011
4:35 pm
If the trade rumor is true I honesty dont know what to make of it. Its hard to project what Kanter will be. Is he a center or a pf? I thought he measured in a little smaller than first predicted. Its a big risk and hopefully Sund doesn’t throw in a first for the draft next year. Next year the draft will be loaded.
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
10 and John Salmons. So he is going back home.
jason
June 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
The first deal made, Stephen Jackson to the bucks for there #7 pick. LOL! Will the josh trade be the 2nd??
BigTimeTechFan
June 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
If they get no 2 pick they should pick Jimmer Fredette.
EmirS.
June 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
Yea good for him!
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
4:38 pm
Maybe we get the #2/Beasley and then flip the #2 for a legit center already in the league.
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:40 pm
The Bucks have offered Bogut and #10 for the Wolves #2 pick.
If I’m Minnesota, I take that over Josh Smith anyday.
The Lakers offered them Lamar Odom and “pieces” (whatever they are) for the #2.
Speculation is the ‘Wolves will let bidding continue until they’re on the clock tonight, and see if other offers come in or offers are enhanced.
BigTimeTechFan
June 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm
Stephen Jackson to the bucks for there #7 pick, what???
J Smith easy worth a #2 if that happened
Michael
June 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm
We are screwed next year regardless if we do not sign Jamal Crawford, imo.. But the potential sale is great news, no doubting that
Gold Dawg
June 23rd, 2011
4:41 pm
Agree, Bogut and #10 is a better deal.
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
What a crazy day first the report of the Hawks possibly being sold and now OJ Simpson will confess to Oprah that he was the one who murdered his wife .
Michael The Abbreviation
June 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
How bout a J Smoove for Odom? Then atleast we would have the opportunity to potentially see Kim K at some of our games! But then again, we would also have a whale sighting at every game (Khloe)
Robert
June 23rd, 2011
4:43 pm
What are you hearing about the strong rumors per the attached SI article that the Hawks are on the verge of being sold?? Why is SI breaking this and not the AJC?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/ian_thomsen/06/23/hawks.sale/index.html
BigTimeTechFan
June 23rd, 2011
4:44 pm
Maybe 3 way, Hawks get Bogut and Beasly, Minn gets Smith and no 10, Bucks get number 2 pick
EmirS.
June 23rd, 2011
4:47 pm
@Micheal The Abbrevation
Uncalled for.
Secondly….I think she looks hot. I’m into “something to grab onto”, if you catch my drift.
Third…you’d hit it as much as I would don’t lie.
Fourth….lets get back to BASKETBALL! Woot I love this tense atmosphere on draft day, just like on trade deadline day!
Michael The Abbreviation
June 23rd, 2011
4:48 pm
I’d definitly hit that, it was just a joke! Its not like shes reading our blogs, come on dog
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
It went from quick and boring to WTF in less than a week with J.Smith talks and Hawks on verge of being sold.
Trading Horford and Sy to Houston; Motiejunas- JordanHill-Thabeet-Malcolm Thomas
June 23rd, 2011
4:52 pm
@SteveW
Statistically Michael Beasley is one of the worst basketball players in the NBA. I did not know he averaged 19 ppg but even looking at basic stats and not advanced stats
Not even considering the fact Mike is a turnstyle on defense he took 200 more shots than Josh and only hit 64 of them.
less than 6 boards a game,
Advanced 51% true shooting compared to Josh’s 54%. If you thought Josh was a bad shooter lol!
This guy uses 27% of his teams possessions for his career.
Dirk Nowitzki 27% Zach Randolph 27%
Jamal 23% Joe 23% Smith 23% Jason Terry never even reached 26%!
Beasley 28% and Kevin Love merely used 22%
read these words carefully Michael Beasley IS A BALL HOG
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:53 pm
Enes Kanter is 1.5″ taller than Al, both with shoes on.
13 lbs heavier
Standing Reach is 2.5″ more for Kanter
Kanter has way less body fat: 5.9% to 9.1% for Al
Kanter is much more agile than Al – Agility score of 11.3 to Al’s 12.15
Enes is faster than Al also – 3.26 to 3.37 in the 3/4 court sprint.
Enes is much bigger than Josh, so I think the reasoning goes that would Al and Enes give you more on court size than Al and Josh?
And with Kanter only being 19, he’s got room to grow and add muscle. Kid already did 14 reps at 185 lbs at the age of 19.
Dwight Howard was shorter, skinnier (240) than Kanter when he came into the League and only benched 7x. Of course Dwight was only 18 years old and not 19.
But I think the measurables, skill, and heart are what has Sund pumped up.
EmirS.
June 23rd, 2011
4:55 pm
About 2 more hours until the draft! Can’t wait to see what happens!
Kevin
June 23rd, 2011
4:56 pm
Derrick Williams , Derrick Williams, Derrick Williams! Lets not let another great player get away if we happen to grab the number two pick.
drmaryb (*_*)
June 23rd, 2011
4:56 pm
Turkey Burger!
Enes Kanter! IDK about him, but if I ordered an angus beef burger and got a turkey burger? I would know the difference, immediately.
SlimJr would melt like the wicked witch dashed with water IF Sund drafted Enes Kanter over DWilliams at #2. It would not be pretty on the blog.
Again, IDK nothing about any of these draftees. Based on what Najeh posted, he agrees with SlimJr. It’s such a gamble at #1 & #2
just ask Portland re: Oden -vs- Durant.
The Hawks should be so lucky to have a #2 pick. Who would you take MC? | O’Brien | Rod from CP | Ken Strickland | Grand-Daddy | Sautee?
SteveW
June 23rd, 2011
4:56 pm
Trading – No doubt Josh is better than Beasley. But Beasley is better than Marvin. And if they’re giving us the #2 pick to boot, well you gotta do that trade.
Nobody said trade Beasly for Josh straight up.
Wabe
June 23rd, 2011
4:56 pm
Sure, I wouldn’t mind flipping one of our PF’s to upgrade at the 3 or 5.
But, whose sold on this Kanter kid? And why assume this kid can fill that center role any better than Horford has.
Also, trading Josh signals that this team is willing to take a few steps back in the short-term, and hopes to reap the benefits of this deal in the longterm. I say that because this kid isn’t gonna come into the league and immediately ball out. Also, there’s only been a handful of bigs that have come into the league and really made meaningful impacts after being drafted that high, do you really wanna gamble Smith away on this kid? I mean really, try to think of recent bigs that have been taken with lottery selections.
Oden, Thabeet, Bogut, Barganani, etc.
Bogut’s panning out now. The other three, not so much. Of course you got Howard, beast. This kid isn’t Dwight. And you’ve got Horford, and I could see this kid walking the same line as Horford did. But, even with that, it’ll take time. And, we’ve got Joe Johnson sitting on our books for a good minute still. You’d think after making that kinda investment last summer, this team would put peices around Joe ASAP to get us into championship form. Not try to shoot up into a lottery slot and put the fortunes of this team on an unproven rookie.
Again, this is all the result of piiii$$ poor planning by an imcompetent ownership group + our douche of a manager who have no clue how to run a team. They make one poor decision after another, and then they try to mask their stupid mistakes shortly after they realize the mistake they’ve made.
Resigning Bibby.
Resigning Zaza.
Resigning Marvin.
Offering Joe a max contract.
I’m even willing to list the departure of Jordan Crawford as a boneheaded mistake too. Jamal’s gone. We wouldn’t have to look for a guy to plug that scoring had we had this kid. But the signing of Bibby (dumb move #1) led to the Hinrich for Bibby/Crawford/Evans/1st round pick swap. And as much as I like seeing Bibby gone, and Evans for that matter, it still leaves us short resources in the present to continue to grow. So, I’ll say, that was another dumb move.
The article Najeh posted at 2:40 in his post is 100% on point. This organization is clueless.
bighawksfan33
June 23rd, 2011
4:58 pm
MC: any word on trading smoove for monta ellis?
drmaryb (*_*)
June 23rd, 2011
5:02 pm
What IF Kyrie Irving was there?
Do you take him @ #2? IDK? Why I’d he rated so high?
I heard he has never played a game for Duke? Or, only played 11 games?
Gregg Anthony said on NBA TV he battled cancer?
So many questions. I hear Marshon Brooks is the truth and another PG is a MVP type talent. Kenneth Fariehd …..
I’m glad I’m not a GM!
TheWyzyrd
June 23rd, 2011
5:04 pm
Would it make any difference in the draft if SI’s Hawks’ sale goes down?
TheWyzyrd
June 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
Oops! I meant to say SI’s story on the Hawks’ sale. Sorry.
Fat El
June 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
MC: Any truth to the rumor that the Hawks are about to be sold…and if so would it affect any moves the Hawks may or may not make?
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
5:07 pm
Don’t know that I’m “pro this trade”; But someone asked the difference between Kanter and Horford. The difference is that Horford whines about playing Center, while Kanter wouldn’t . . .
shake&break
June 23rd, 2011
5:08 pm
All of this is useless. The Hawks should be on the phone working a deal to trade Big Charmin (AL) and Duckman (Marvin) to the Orlando Magic for Dwight Howard. Put Arkansas Max (JJ) with Smoove and Superman and now this team can compete. Put Hinrich and Teague in the lineup and the starting five is legit. You have a bonafide superstar, a high level allstar and a potential all star and superstar alnog with a gritty defensive minded two guard that can shoot and a athletic point guard that is improving. Come on guys, let’s stop talking about any other trades.
JustAThought
June 23rd, 2011
5:10 pm
I’m VERY cautiously optomistic about the sale…………………shshshshshshshshshshshshshshshh!
EmirS.
June 23rd, 2011
5:12 pm
I believe Cleveland has commited to drafting Irving first. I just watched a video about it on ESPN.com as a matter of fact.
And yes the kid has played 11 games in college…and is suppose to be the number 1 pick. Im skeptical. But again I have never seen him play besides some youtube videos and espn highlights…thats about it. Not enough for me to get my feet wet.
Nothing on the Hawks and Minny so far. I think someone did mention that Minny might be waiting till it’s there turn to draft to see if anyone sweetens the deal.
Very tense!
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
5:14 pm
YES!…I hope this deal gets done, we could then get the most out of both of our former top 3 picks who we have been wasting, Williams would finally get a fair chance and Al , a top 5 pf, would finally get to play PF, And we get a CENTER!…And all we have to give up is the second biggest problem outside Joe!…YES
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
5:07 pm
Don’t know that I’m “pro this trade”; But someone asked the difference between Kanter and Horford. The difference is that Horford whines about playing Center, while Kanter wouldn’t . . .
no the diffrence is 3 BIG inches! Al is 6ft 8 , Kanter is 6ft101/2 legit !
JustAThought
June 23rd, 2011
5:16 pm
Why do you all think that Orlando will trade DH to the hawks for any or all the players on their roster? If and when Orlando trade DW, you can believe they will get a “legit” center in return (ie Bynum from the Lakers and maybe even Odum as well).
TheAntiMe
June 23rd, 2011
5:17 pm
I guess that the ASG has drained enough of the life out of Atlanta sports. If anyone sees any of the ASG ownership out in public hopefully they will kick those ASG owner(s) where it counts. Really, really hard!!!
darrell starks
June 23rd, 2011
5:20 pm
shake&brake i cosign
The hawks will not get SUPERMAN unless josh is here.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
shake&break
June 23rd, 2011
5:22 pm
Orlando may not be thinking replace a center with a center. They may be thinking replace a great player with the best package we can get because this guy is going to leave us. Atlanta has a couple of things in its’ favor. That being Smoove and Howard being from Atlanta, plus I think having JJ as a legit All Star level player would be something you talk up.
Also, maybe Orlando would not want to take a risk on a injury prone Bynum and a aging Odom. Maybe so, maybe not….but if Horford is so valuable and Marvin is so efficient then maybe the Magic would have some interest.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
5:25 pm
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
5:14 pm
no the diffrence is 3 BIG inches! Al is 6ft 8 , Kanter is 6ft101/2 legit !
The size difference between Al and the rest of the centers in the NBA isn’t that much that he should whine about it . . .
Presham from Port Arthur
June 23rd, 2011
5:27 pm
Funny thing is…nobody going no where…Go hawks!!!
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
5:35 pm
CONservative Johnson
The size difference between Al and the rest of the centers in the NBA isn’t that much that he should whine about it . . .
the Mavs starting center was Chandler who is a legit 7ft1…And if it ain’t no big deal, why has no one asked Josh to play center
L.S.
June 23rd, 2011
5:40 pm
Don’t panic, Remember the Hawks jumping to keep Koncack from Detroit.
The Truth
June 23rd, 2011
5:42 pm
Reckless and Abandon
You know writers are staving around the league for information when they are making sh!t up and masquerading it as fact. First they create bone-headed ideas into rumors and confirm them with lengthy articles as if they were fact. Honestly, there is no difference between a rumor and a confirmed rumor, they are both BS.
“Josh Smith is aware of the trade speculation swirling around him. He knows much of that speculation is fueled by the belief that he desperately wants out of Atlanta”.
The key words here are “speculation” which can be interchanged with BS and “belief” which (in this context) is what other people think. MC: Show me a Josh quote where he has publicly stated that he wants “out of Atlanta”. Just to dramatize it even further (I notice) you threw in the word “desperately” to suggest he really wants out now.
This type of chatter seems to fit nicely with the theory that since Josh has a relatively low contract compared to his high-value on the team, then the Hawks must be pursing a deal involving him to upgrade the team; clearly not the gospel but a least a plausible idea. This theory stays strong when conceptually profiling a player in exchange for Josh as being “elite” level that can fill immediate needs for the Hawks even better than Josh can. But when you start naming names of such an “elite” level player, this theory becomes the analogy of building a house from hollow logs; very shaky, very shaky indeed.
In other words, it’s a very weak argument. If such a replacement player for Josh was identified equal to Josh’s contribution, relatively low contract price and comparable age, I seriously doubt his team would be willing to trade him. So this induces other theories such as: Josh is disgruntled because he is unappreciated by Atlanta fans and he just want to leave the Hawks for greener pastures. Beside from the regular anti-Josh “trolls” on this blog and a small minority, where are these unappreciated Atlanta fans?
If the “trade to upgrade” shoe didn’t fit, than maybe this one will. However, for this shoe to have legs, it must be validated. So soliciting responses from Josh to “confirm rumors” and speculations are proof in this pudding. I know the Josh-haters are having wet dreams with all this drama but frankly I’m not. Let’s just hope Josh knows manure when he smells it as well.
Ray
June 23rd, 2011
5:43 pm
It seems like only Al has complained about shifting to PF except there is this other guy named Kendrick Perkins who is similar height not similar weight, but he’s pretty undersized for the C and yet he didn’t complain.
KEEP SMITH if you don’t get ready for the highlight factory to become the no light factory it won’t be there. Enes Kanter and Derrick Williams = unproven why trade a proven for something unproven.
Astro Joe
June 23rd, 2011
5:44 pm
I wonder how many folk would have been excited if we had drafted Pau Gasol at #2 a few years ago instead of trading him for Marietta’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim? My guess is that (if this blog existed back then), 80%+ would have voted for SAR. How did that work out?
I wouldn’t know this Kanter kid if he walked up and handed me a cheesesteak, but making a trade to acquire the best big man in the draft seems like something that shouldn’t be summarily dismissed. And it is the kind of bold move many around here often clamor the Hawks to do.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
5:47 pm
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
5:35 pm
All I’m saying is that Josh didn’t whine about playing against Howard in that series when he needed to . . .
There have been recent champions who had centers that were close to Al’s size:
2004 Pistons (Ben Wallace who is smaller)
2005 and 2007 Spurs (an unknown guy in one year and Nazr Mohammed)
2008 Celtics (Perkins isn’t a 7 footer)
Neki Ecko
June 23rd, 2011
5:56 pm
But if its wasnt true, why CNNSI(a very respectfully website) still running the story. Somebody is lying and we know that ASG did lied a few times about the Thrashers situation.
Now also CBSSports is also running that story as well. Something isnt right at all.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
5:56 pm
From Najeh :
Like LaGree, I can’t shake the feeling that a Smoove trade will be a) a direct result of giving Joe that contract, b) result in the Hawks acquiring lesser players, and c) will be yet another mistake made by Hawks management in an attempt to rectify previous mistakes, which has pretty much been the M.O. for them for the last six years.
No more need be said. Always good to hear from somebody who understands the big picture and doesn’t get caught up in one or two details.
Good stuff, Najeh .
Wabe
June 23rd, 2011
5:57 pm
Astro Joe, point taken.
I am one of those that wants to shake things up. But, I wanna shake things up with a plan in mind. What does this organization intend on doing in the coming years? Is there a blueprint? Do they know what they want to do?
Or are they going to continue to make spontaneous moves time and time again? Each move they make is just a cover-up for the move that they’ve made in the past, IMO.
Again, I don’t know anywhere near enough about Kanter to say much. But, until JJ’s contract is off the books, I’d think the gameplan would be to put peices around JJ that would allow us to propel to the next level. Fact is, when the Hawks signed JJ to that monster contract, and then when they shipped Bibby/Evans/JC2 and a 1st round pick, that kinda signals they’re in it to win it *now*. But, a move like the one that’s being rumored doesn’t back that notion, IMO.
We’ll see how things play out. All most folks want is a plan. Not these spur of the moment moves without much thought behind them. I’m actively behind making a move that would shake things up. But I question whether this move is the Hawks best move, especially with the risk involved.
jason
June 23rd, 2011
5:57 pm
@Big Ray
Haven’t seen you in a while. How ya been?
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
5:58 pm
Ray ,
Kendrick Perkins never has been a PF. Al played PF in college (Noah was the center).
Perkins is also bigger, heavier, stronger…and slower. Al is about 245, Perkins can shove him around, he weighs roughly 280. Quite a difference, to be honest.
Ray
June 23rd, 2011
5:59 pm
This is going to blow up in our faces thanks a lot ASG and Sund you guys are awesome it’s going to be another Decade of misery before we have another Star when this goes away.
It’s like their trying to remind us of what happened in the 90’s lol(it isn’t funny).
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:00 pm
jason ,
I’m doin’ okay, how about you? I’ve checked in here and there. Hasn’t been much to talk about, to be honest. But maybe there will be some fireworks tonight, eh?
As for this reported sale of the team, my guess is that either a new investor has entered the picture (buyer beware) or there is a serious “new investor” discussion deal going on.
But whoever said the ASG has lied before is right….
Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:02 pm
@ Big Ray True, but I never heard about Perkins complain about man these guys are taller than me is all I’m saying I know of the weight differences.
If we get someone via free agency or draft it needs to be someone will leadership abilites Horford could be the guy, but he punks out too often for my taste he’ll say something and then nothing. It’s like LD talk the talk, but never walk the walk.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
6:03 pm
So, how were we able to beat them with Perkins, Big Ray?
jason
June 23rd, 2011
6:03 pm
Didn’t they say it was a rumor?
GT Alum
June 23rd, 2011
6:10 pm
Hmm, so now we have rumors that a deal is imminent to sell the Hawks. Not the first time we’ve heard those rumors either, so I’m not putting too much stock in it.
The interesting thing is these 2 rumors would seem to be contradictory. It’s doubtful you would trade a key piece of your team if you’re in the process of selling it, unless this move is being dictated by the new ownership.
As far as the Smith-for-Kanter deal is concerned, I wonder if the logic is trade Smith for Kanter, move Al to PF, and use the salary they save to re-sign Jamal. Essentially, that would allow the Hawks to maintain basically the same roster, with the only real change being exchanging Smith for Kanter, who might fit the role of traditional C that people have been saying the Hawks need.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:11 pm
Conservative Johnson ,
Who are you talking about? The advantage Horford has had over Perkins has been speed/outside shooting game. And he only had the outside shot this past season. Horford also didn’t face Perkins much (if at all) this past season.
Ray ,
Look back at the quotes. Al’s comments have been about banging against big guys, not “hey, these guys are taller than me.”
Same comments from his father, Tito Horford. Think about that for a second…Al Horford has routinely beaten the crap out of Pacers center Roy Hibbert over the past two years. Why? Hibbert really isn’t a banger and he’s also a lot slower than Al. But he’s 7′2″
Al’s problem has been with guys who are bigger (weigh more) more than it has been with guys who are taller. He’s even done okay against Bucks center Andrew Bogut (7′0″).
He’ll say that guys with height and length who hustle have given him problems, but he only has expressed concern with guys who are heavier and stronger.
Perkins never complained because that’s his role. He’s big, heavy, strong, and very physical. That, and nobody is looking to him much for offense (unlike Horford). Why would Perkins complain when even guys like Dwight Howard can’t outmuscle him? Nothing to complain about…
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:16 pm
Ray ,
I’ll also say this – Al’s mentality isn’t where it needs to be. He was a truly rugged player his first 2-3 years in the league. Last year he wasn’t as much of a blue collar guy.
But we forget that there are things we don’t know about. Former coach Woodson didn’t care to have Al as a key part of the offense. He was quoted as saying the team would be in good shape if they could get Al up to 12 or 13 points per game , preferring to do all the work through Joe Johnson. The man hardly ran plays for anybody else until Jamal came along (though he had an even bigger love affair with Mike Bibby than Drew did).
Drew wanted Al more involved in the offense, and he wanted it more from the perimeter. Sure, Al wanted to play more PF. But he also said he was fine with doing most of his time at center.
I find it strange that while we play the offseason blame game, many people are saying that Al demanded/whined/complained/whatever about what position he was playing. All I heard him talk about was the constant banging at the center position, and how he would like to have a bigger guy (again, he never said “get me a taller guy”) out there to help out and play some center.
And I still have yet to see anybody post an article quoting him as saying what people here are constantly insisting that he said. Nothing like misrepresentation…
RealSquawk
June 23rd, 2011
6:28 pm
Astro Joe – I am right there with you in the bold move department. And if it is the #2 and Wes Johnson or the #2 and Beaseley then I am all in, but i would rather see Joe Johnson been on his way out than Josh Smith.
If we want to be even bolder we would trade down (if we had the #2 pick) for like one more asset or draft pick, now that is bold.
Daddy Long Long
June 23rd, 2011
6:30 pm
Every year the same ole trade Josh Smith ISH. Get over it, he is ATL and all the hustle n’ muscle we’ve got. Trade Al, he should return plenty. We don’t need the 4 playing the 5 position. Love ya Al, but that Joe contract got this franchise’s payroll Iso too. It is what it is…
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
6:30 pm
Big Ray, you might be right that Al Horford didn’t whine as much in the media as everyone says.
He did have his daddy whining and “begging” for him in the media:
“I’ve been begging [general manager] Rick Sund and the Hawks for the last three years – please get a center so my son can pay his normal position,” the elder Horford said
Horford:
“I don’t see myself playing center the rest of my career.”
“My dad was built for this,” he said. “It takes a toll on your body when you’re going against guys that outweigh you by 50, 60 pounds every night and have three, four inches on you.
“I feel pretty good now. But I wonder how I’ll feel a couple of years from now.”
“I like playing against guys my own size.”
Nah, I was wrong. That comes off like whining to me (all quotes from AJC.com) . . .
http://blogs.ajc.com/jeff-schultz-blog/2011/02/08/al-horford-an-all-star-at-center-but-hes-taking-a-beating/
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
6:30 pm
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
5:47 pm
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
5:35 pm
All I’m saying is that Josh didn’t whine about playing against Howard in that series when he needed to . . .
There have been recent champions who had centers that were close to Al’s size:
2004 Pistons (Ben Wallace who is smaller)
2005 and 2007 Spurs (an unknown guy in one year and Nazr Mohammed)
2008 Celtics (Perkins isn’t a 7 footer)
I love when people say this, detroit had 6ft11 Rasheed, Okur 7ft, Eldin Campbell 7ft
Nazr is a legit 6ft10 and DUNCAN is 7ft
The Celtics had a 6ft11 guy name Garnett
hawksfancents95
June 23rd, 2011
6:34 pm
omg if we trade josh for these lesser players just to dump some salary we deserve to lose in the first round for years to come. especially if we trade josh for a tanner zaza pachulia look alike(kanter), that would not help us in anyway. i would be ok if we traded josh to minnesota for #2 and drafted derrick williams for our SF and got like anthony randolph or beasley in return.
as for cleveland and their #1 and #4 if i were them id get dwill at #1 and kemba or brevin knight if he slips at #4, i think kyrie will be a good PG but nothing like john wall or drose
cleve lineup 11-12
PG-Knight/Walker
SG-Baron Davis
SF-Derrick Williams
PF-JJ Hickson
C-Anderson Varejo
that team might be able to sneak into the playoffs but i think if they take kyrie they defenitley have no chance at the playoffs
Are any of my bloggers going to be on for the whole draft? i cant wait for these trades and surprise picks
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
6:36 pm
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
6:30 pm
Rasheed didn’t play Center and he wasn’t known as a rebounder or shot blocker. He averaged less of both than Josh who plays next to Al.
Nazr is about Horford’s size in height and weight.
Didn’t the smaller Josh play Perkins a lot by the way?
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
6:39 pm
If Minneapolis still has the 2nd pick by draft time Josh Smith will still be a Hawk .
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
6:39 pm
“no the diffrence is 3 BIG inches! Al is 6ft 8 , Kanter is 6ft101/2 legit !”
Al is 6′9.75″, Kanter is 6′11.25″… a difference of 1.5 inches.
Al’s wingspan is 7′0.75″, Kanter’s wingspan is 7′1.5″… a difference of 0.75 inches.
Negligible difference.
Granny, I know at your age it’s hard to hold up that tape measure without your hands shaking, but there is very little difference between Al and Kanter in terms of size.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
6:44 pm
I’ve been busy with work lately.
FIRE LD
HIRE WORLDWIDE CLYDE OR DRMARYB
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
6:45 pm
“I wouldn’t know this Kanter kid if he walked up and handed me a cheesesteak, but making a trade to acquire the best big man in the draft seems like something that shouldn’t be summarily dismissed. ”
Kanter is the best big man… in the worst draft since 2000. And it’s no guarantee that he can play center any better than Al. A Smoove trade would presumably be made to move Al to PF full time.
From what I have seen of Kanter, his game is pretty similar to Al’s game anyway.
kirkinga
June 23rd, 2011
6:46 pm
Right now, the biggest question in my mind is are we going to keep our basketball team? I don’t believe ASG’s denial if there are two league sources saying otherwise.
I also do not think Josh Smith will be a Hawk next season. Somebody is leaving, and it appears to be Josh. I don’t think his trade value gets any higher the longer he stays.
If there is a superstar to be had, the Hawks should make the deal. Otherwise, they have to do what they can not to bring the same team back.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
6:47 pm
WHY ARE THERE RUMORS WE ARE GOING TO GET A PG?
WE HAVE TEAGUE
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
6:49 pm
kirkinga, the team would look a lot better with Jeff Teague starting next season . . .
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
6:50 pm
Big Ray,
“Kendrick Perkins never has been a PF. Al played PF in college (Noah was the center).”
Not true. Al Horford was the center at Florida. I have posted the info several times for Marvin’s grandmother. Al Horford was the one who matched up against Oden, not Noah. Al Horford was the starting center for the Florida Gators. Yes he played some PF, but he was the starting center the majority of the time, not Noah.
Buddy Grizzard
June 23rd, 2011
6:50 pm
From previous blogs:
“LD’s not the worst coach ever…or whatever? Have you forgotten Woodson already?” – Grandad
Whoah there my good sir, was talking about currently-employed head coaches, not worst all time.
“Currently, I would prefer LD over Rambis or Westphal, just off the top of my head.”
There you go, and I can hardly argue with Rambis. It’s said he was extremely disinterested. Lame Duck is at least highly engaged, although posessed of some really awful ideas about roster management.
“Is that a misspelling, or am I missing the meaning?” – Big Ray
Not sure which term you meant so, from urbandictionary.com:
1. troll
One who posts a deliberately provocative message to a newsgroup or message board with the intention of causing maximum disruption and argument
4. Homebrew
A word used to describe a male friend, not of the gay variety
“What kind of organization ignores every veteran coach candidate it could potentially hire and instead gives the former coach’s top assistant the job.”
The kind of organization that is run by basketball neophytes who don’t have either the sense or the desire to hire competent basketball people to run their operations and let those people do their jobs. Sund has had an up and down career. And I troll him constantly, but I don’t actually think he’s incompetent. I just think he only has a job because he understands that his sole function is to rubber stamp basketball decisions that are made by neophytes like Gearon, who think they are Al Davis.
“Are the Hawks viewing this past season/post-season as a failure of any kind?”
Apparently not. If they viewed it as a failure, then perhaps they would have, in a show of good faith to the fans, fired Drew. Just like they should have, after JJ said he didn’t care if the fans showed up, executed a sign-and-trade and let him go elsewhere for whatever assets they could get, rather than saddle this franchise for 6 years with the contract of an underperforming player who doesn’t want to be held accountable for his team’s failures?
But see, I think the reason they rewarded JJ with the richest contract in basketball is because they see themselves in JJ. The ASG also does not want to be held accountable for its failures. So when the entire organization is mortally embarrassed by the incompetence of the coach they have hired (i.e. when LD left Horford on the bench for an entire half, an act one writer described as the worst coaching mistake in the history of playoff basketball), does that organization step forward, come clean with the fans, say “we made a mistake, we made the wrong hire,” and try to do better? Not this organization. They just keep chugging along like they expect Lame Duck to lead us all to the promised land next season.
“The Hawks lobbied for Drew to be the coach.”
Again, the idea is to “hire competent basketball people… and let those people do their jobs.” You’re letting the players pick the coach? This will forever serve as a cautionary tale. Reminds me of when Dominique wanted the Hawks to fire Fratello, an excellent defensive coach, and bring in Bob Weiss, a “players’ coach.” We all know how that worked out, although maybe Sund didn’t because he hired Weiss years later in Seattle. You don’t let the inmates run the asylum. Best evidence of ASG incompetence.
Buddy Grizzard
June 23rd, 2011
6:51 pm
Najeh,
Whoever passes on Derrick Williams will regret it.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:52 pm
conservative johnson ,
Sounds to me like all those quotes proved my point – Al is talking about playing guys who are physically bigger and stronger than he is.
How is that whining? Where did he say he can’t do this anymore? All he said is basically that he doesn’t see himself doing it his whole career, that he feels fine now, but he wonders if he’ll still feel fine later.
Again – I think he needs to have a more rugged attitude. But I also look around the League and wonder how many other teams are trotting a 6′9″ 245 pound guy out there at center….and how many of THOSE guys are two-time allstars.
Tell you who refused to play center…6′10″ Amare Stoudamire. Nobody says anything about him though….LOL.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
6:52 pm
MC, you said earlier that the deadline for trades was 2pm. How is that possible? There are always trades during the draft or are they announced later on?
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
6:55 pm
I wouldn’t trade Joe and Al for Dwight and Arenas
Arenas’s health and defense are too much of a risk.
Al Horford gets a free pass from these playoffs as does Jamal. They both f’ing sucked in the Chicago series, yet no one wants to acknowledge that. People act like we MUST resign Jamal
GTFOH
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
6:56 pm
Trading Smoove for the #2 pick and rolling the dice on Derrick Williams — a guy who could maybe be the superstar this team hasn’t had for 20 years — is a bold move. Trading Smoove for the #2 pick and taking a guy who, in the best case scenario, duplicates Al is just a dumb move.
Now a really bold move would be trading Joe.
jason
June 23rd, 2011
6:56 pm
When will the deal be official.. :/ I’m tired of watchin NBA TV’s Draft preview…
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:57 pm
Buddy Grizzard ,
LOL…thanks for the urbandictionary update. I am all too familiar with the word troll, but I haven’t been up on my urban text speak lately so, the Homebrew escaped me. Good stuff, my man, good stuff.
Okay, let me extend to you an apology. I really thought you were honed completely in on Drew, and was completely ignoring the ASG. I was wrong, you seem to have a damn good handle on what the big picture problem is.
Having said that, I’m not a Larry Drew fan, and wasn’t from the beginning. To be absolutely honest, I thought Drew was a guy they should have given the job to the first or second time Billy Knight tried to fire Woody, and was rebuffed by…you guessed it…the ASG.
It would have been a completely natural move back then. Hell, they could even have done it during the period where Woody got that two year contract, while they did their homework and searched for a veteran head coach. But, they didn’t.
Glad to know you are very much aware of the incompetence of a group of guys who want to meddle in something they don’t know how to handle.
And oh how I wish the SI.com report was true….
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
6:58 pm
“I wouldn’t trade Joe and Al for Dwight and Arenas
Arenas’s health and defense are too much of a risk.”
I can’t speak for others, but the only reason I include Arenas in that deal is to entice Orlando to accept it. Arenas has the worst contract in the league, but to acquire a legit superstar, I think that’s a worthwhile tax to pay, especially if there will be an amnesty clause in the new CBA. Without including him, I would imagine the Hawks would have to give up Teague and multiple draft picks in addition to Joe and Al for Orlando to even consider it.
GT Alum
June 23rd, 2011
6:58 pm
kirkinga -
You obviously haven’t been paying attention to the sale of the Thrashers. Part of the agreement for Philips Arena is that the Hawks have to play all of their home games there until the bonds for the arena are paid off, which isn’t supposed to happen until 2028.
Buddy Grizzard
June 23rd, 2011
7:00 pm
Najeh – Kanter is possibly the most physically fit big man to ever be tested at the combine. Only guards have ever tested as well as he did. So he’s very serious about fitness, but I worry about his knees. The fact that he didn’t play professionally overseas and instead sat out a season after being ruled ineligible makes me wonder if he’s not hiding persistent knee issues.
Meanwhile Derrick Williams is a legit shooter with three-point range, can finish emphatically at the rim, and LED THE NATION in free throw attempts. Picking Kanter ahead of Williams would be like picking Sam Bowie ahead of Jordan.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:00 pm
In other news, Ron Artest is trying to officially change his name to “Metta World Peace”.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:02 pm
Rod ,
I know Al played against Oden in the championship, but they kept listing him as a PF otherwise, and Noah as the center.
Maybe I got it wrong, but that’s something I kept seeing, particularly at Draftexpress.com. Again, maybe I got it wrong.
But here’s the funny thing – all the draftexpress and other site articles kept highlighting Horford’s struggles against the bigger centers in college, most notably Oden and (believe it or not) Randolph Morris.
So knowing this, why in the world would an NBA team insist on trotting this guy out every night against NBA starting centers?
And who is Marvin’s grandmother? I’m sure there’s a punchline at the end of the answer, I just don’t know what (or who) it is.
drmaryb (*_*)
June 23rd, 2011
7:04 pm
Grandmaster JeJe is Back!
Thank God! Now we can get ready for the draft party!
Grandmaster … If we shock the world and get that #2 pick from Minny – do you take D. Williams?
My Grand-Daddy likes Kawhi Leonard and kenneth Farhied big time, he hates the idea of Kanter. IDK nothing ’bout nobody!
I’m just eating popcorn sipping on cherry coke.
_____________
I’ve missed you baby! Did you go to Rio? Mmmmwah!
IF the Hawks are SOLD – Oh Happy Day!!!!!!!!!!!! I could just throw in the towel and rest my nerves.
LOL!
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
7:04 pm
Trade Smoove for the #2 and try throw in Hinrich and Marvin for Beasley and Flynn, with Teague as starter
Offer Hinrich in any trade
However, like I said, Sund ONLY MAKES TRADES EVERY 2 YEARS
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:06 pm
Minnesota and Golden State are now talking Monta Ellis for the #2.
It was not a bad pick
June 23rd, 2011
7:07 pm
Big Ray
And who is Marvin’s grandmother? I’m sure there’s a punchline at the end of the answer, I just don’t know what (or who) it is
Rod from Hapeville and Najeh “Al is a Center” Davenport call’s me “GRANNY”..And yes you are right Al played PF at Florida..i still have no idea where Rod get’s his info from…
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
7:08 pm
Who let Jon Barry into the draft?
This guy sucks
kirkinga
June 23rd, 2011
7:09 pm
@ you are right GT Alum, like many Atlanta sports fans, I don’t really care about losing another hockey team other than the bad PR. I stop caring about hockey when the Flames left. Sorry.
Btw…you obviously don’t understand contacts if you believe that there is no way the Hawks could move before 2028.
@CONservative Johnson, perhaps they would look better, perhaps not. I’d prefer Chris Paul if we could get him.
Wabe
June 23rd, 2011
7:09 pm
I think Minnesota is just f’n around with folks. I think they’ll ultimately hold onto their #2 pick and will take D.Williams.
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
7:10 pm
Nah DrB I’ve just been working hard. Stayin in the struggle
I like this Kanter guy. If we get Derrick Williams do we really improve? Sund is rumored to really like Kanter, who is 6″11
I’d take Kanter. I mean, this team clearly cannot get past rd 2 with this same crappy roster, so why not take a risk? The guy said he’s the best player in the draft. I never heard Marvin or SHelden say they thought they were the best players in the draft
GT Alum
June 23rd, 2011
7:12 pm
kirkinga -
It may not be impossible, but it’s highly unlikely that the Hawks will be moving in the next 10 years.
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
7:14 pm
Marvin’s grandmother is “It was not a bad pick”.
O'Brien
June 23rd, 2011
7:17 pm
Guys,
I would love to see the Hawks make a bold move, but that is not their style. Rick is known for overpaying to keep his core together.
So I dont expect any news coming out of Hawksville except for when the 48th pick is announced.
JoJo the Godfather
June 23rd, 2011
7:17 pm
Don’t forget, if Kanter is the target, then Josh to Cleveland at 4 is a possibility as well.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
7:19 pm
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
6:52 pm
Tell you who refused to play center…6′10″ Amare Stoudamire. Nobody says anything about him though….LOL.
You mean the same Amare Stoudamire that called out Al Horford and then whooped him?
Grandmaster JeJe
June 23rd, 2011
7:23 pm
Can someone please explain to me this trade deadline? MC said all trades had to be in by 2pm.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:28 pm
Fran Fraschilla just compared Kanter to Al.
drmaryb (*_*)
June 23rd, 2011
7:28 pm
Grandmaster JeJe!
Oh! OK, then yeah … Me too! I can’t predict who will be a MVP?
But, what IDK is we need: size, rebounder/defender who is not a fouling. machine. Centers do not grow on trees and you can NOT contend without
one!
Lord knows we haven’t had a center since Dikembe left.
Sign me up!
Wabe
June 23rd, 2011
7:28 pm
LMAO
The ‘international expert’ on ESPN just described Kanter, and told us to ‘think Al Horford’ when describing him.
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
7:29 pm
It was a horrible pick and Big Ray,
What part of starting a center in the front court don’t you understand IWNABP? He was hurt in the Ohio State game, but came off the bench and guarded Oden.
“Al Horford attended Grand Ledge High School in Grand Ledge, Michigan, and was a star player on its basketball team. He was rated a four-star recruit by rivals.com.[1] He entered college at the University of Florida with fellow incoming freshmen Joakim Noah, Taurean Green, and Corey Brewer. He made an immediate impact as a Gator, starting at center in the front-court with David Lee. He helped the Gators win the 2005 SEC Championship.”
“However, Horford entered the game from the bench to guard Ohio State player Greg Oden, a highly-touted 7′0″ (2.13 m) freshman. Horford tried to contain Oden, holding him to just seven points (well below Oden’s season average of just over 15). Horford himself scored eleven points, adding eleven rebounds in limited action. The Gators beat the Buckeyes in what is now regarded as not just a great game, but also one of Florida’s best-played games at the Stephen C. O’Connell Center”
Michael Cunningham
June 23rd, 2011
7:32 pm
Live blog is up.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
7:33 pm
Wabe, that is funny. Especially for me since I said the biggest difference is that Kanter is willing to play center . . .
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:35 pm
One thing the NBA should change is having the draft in the same place every year. They should have it in the location of whoever has the #1 pick.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:37 pm
Rod ,
Did I not say that I could be wrong about what position Horford played at Florida?
Again, I ask why an NBA team would continue to trot an undersized guy out at center when he clearly struggled against the bigger ones in college?
Stick to Marvin bashing arguments, you actually have something to back you up there…
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
7:37 pm
Najeh, they need to simulcast on NBA TV like the NFL does. It sucks having to listen to the ESPN guys . . .
kirkinga
June 23rd, 2011
7:37 pm
“5 minutes to make their selection”, truly wonderful, no NFL stretching it out.
kirkinga
June 23rd, 2011
7:40 pm
@Najeh, you’re absolutely right, rotate the draft location already.
@GTAlum, ok, as long as you understand the difference between hard-to-do, improbable vs. impossible.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:44 pm
conservative johnson ,
Yeah, that one. Now what does that have to do with what I said? Amare still doesn’t play center, refuses to do so, just like he did in Phoenix.
All I was saying was that he isn’t the only one.
CONservative Johnson
June 23rd, 2011
7:48 pm
He’s the only one that matters to us as Hawks fans.
Rod from College Park
June 23rd, 2011
7:52 pm
“Rod ,
Did I not say that I could be wrong about what position Horford played at Florida?”
Read the post again, it was directed at Marvin’s greandmother, that why the intials were after it. Included you just for clarity.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:55 pm
Rod ,
Gotcha. My bad.
Also, I see Marvin’s grandmother revealed herself. LOL…
MNM
June 23rd, 2011
11:39 pm
All those who keep saying trade Joe Johnson what team other than the Hawks do you think are going to give him more than he’s worth?
Henry
June 23rd, 2011
11:57 pm
Why is ever one so quick to blame Josh Smith for his shot selection when J J holds the ball until the shot clock runs down. Then it’s throw it up are lose it. I place most of the blame on the over paid JJ
Debra
June 24th, 2011
12:32 am
If Josh had been traded, i would no longer be a Hawks fan!!! Between Josh and Jamal, there is no one else worth coming to the Highlight factory to watch!
Smith did this to himself
June 24th, 2011
12:31 pm
Of course they want to trade him, and he only has himself to blame.
Smith causes fights in the locker room with other players, fights with the coach, and doesn’t see eye to eye with the owners.
1st class punk, now they’re sending him packing.
Trading Sy and Horford for Rocket big men and #14 + 23/2nd rounder picks for Donatas & M.Thomas
June 24th, 2011
12:51 pm
http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/214339/Rockets_See_Shades_Of_Nowitzki_In_Motiejunas
Truckme
June 24th, 2011
12:55 pm
Smith is untradeable. They tried earlier in the season. No takers.
a1andonly
June 24th, 2011
3:43 pm
BRING D. HOWARD TO ATL!!!!! EVEN IF IT IS FOR ONE YEAR. CAN WE JUST KEEP EVERYONE?!?!?! (EXCEPT FOR MARVIN)….I’M JUST KIDDING. I KNOW IT AIN’T POSSIBLE, BUT CAN A BROTHA DREAM ANYWAY?!?!?
john
June 24th, 2011
7:38 pm
I hope they trade josh he is a negative influences and he takes horrible shots i have been wanting him out of atlanta for a while now
Baby Mamma Drama of J-Stupid
June 25th, 2011
10:38 am
His baby’s mother’s kept showing up to games, distracting him from his pin-point 3-shooting game. Another city will do him good…
falconairre
June 25th, 2011
1:14 pm
The need to maintain wat they have right now we are still good. it was a bone head move to trade Jc2 but wats done is done. wit the addtion of Benson we could have a real solid rotation. i believe he cud come in and start some games in put up decent numbers in college……
COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON STATS
SEASON GMS MIN PTS REB AST TO A/T STL BLK PF FG% FT% 3P%
2010-11 35 32.4 17.9 10.1 1.1 1.9 0.58 0.8 3.6 3.1 .547 .643 .391
2009-10 35 31.3 17.3 10.5 0.8 1.7 0.48 0.4 3.3 3.0 .533 .724 .400
2008-09 36 27.8 14.3 7.8 0.7 1.1 0.66 0.6 2.4 3.2 .622 .667 .000
2007-08 29 13.4 5.2 3.5 0.1 0.7 0.14 0.2 1.4 1.8 .505 .667 .000
marvin could be good off the bench or trade him for a defensive stopper and shooter of the bench. if drew cant get josh smith to cut to the basket and finish and only finish not shoot un needed jumpers wen we have a lead or down a few points early in the game. WE NEED DUNKS!BENSON WILL PROVIDE DEFENSE AND HORFORD CAN PLAY pf start teague and jj bring in hinrich off the bench Fa defensive stopper/shooter zaza pap sy and hopefully jamal
Rocky
June 25th, 2011
1:41 pm
Smith is a dummie. When asked to refrain from the 3 pointers, he told LD to go F_off. He then told the press that atlanta fans didn’t understand the game, and that his 3 was really good. Now dummie doesn’t want to play for LD, and wants him gone.
Smith is too stupid to play in atlanta.