Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith still wants to be traded
Miami–Even as Josh Smith is having a strong season for the Hawks he has let the team know he wants to be traded as the March 15 deadline approaches, according to people with knowledge of Smith’s thinking.
And the reasons for Smith’s dissatisfaction with the team now have to make the Hawks wonder if they will be able to sign him to a contract extension next season.
By the end of last season Smith wanted out of Atlanta because he believed he was singled out for unfair criticism by coaches and media. Those concerns have died down for the most part this season but now Smith believes he needs a fresh start with a franchise where he can better reach his potential on and off the court, according to one of the people with knowledge of Smith’s thinking.
The person said one of Smith’s complaints is that he believes the Hawks didn’t do enough to promote him for selection to the All-Star team, which he thinks contributed to lesser players being voted to the team by Eastern Conference coaches. Smith, an Atlanta native who has played his entire eight-year career with the Hawks, also would like to play for a franchise he believes is more committed to winning a championship.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Hawks have taken calls from teams interested in acquiring Smith—Golden State is among the teams who have inquired. But the Hawks so far have given no indication that they intend to part with Smith, who likely would command a high price in a trade.
Smith, 26, is under contract through next season, after which he can become an unrestricted free agent. If the Hawks don’t trade Smith and can’t alleviate his concerns by then, they face the real possibility of him signing with another team in the summer of 2013 because there figures to be a strong market for him.
I asked Smith about all of this last night before the Hawks played the Heat but he declined to comment. This is the third season in a row he’s been at the center of trade rumors.
“I really don’t pay any attention to it,” he said. “I just go out there and play the way I play and not worry about anything else. I know this is a business. Whatever happens, happens in the long run. But I know as long as I’m with the Hawks, I have to put my best foot forward.”
This season Smith is averaging 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals. No other player in the league can match those numbers across all categories. It’s that all-around productivity that makes the Hawks reluctant to part with Smith.
Smith’s value as a defender at the basket becomes obvious when Hawks opponents drive to rim when Smith goes to the bench.
“People look at the offensive end but defensively he changes the game,” Hawks coach Larry Drew said recently. “He is one of the few players I think that can play a defensive game and impact the game even if his offense is not on that night.”
The main knock on Smith’s game is his shooting.
After making 39 percent of his long two-point shots last season, a mark that was right at the league average, Smith is making just 31 percent of those attempts this season while attempting nearly two more per game. However, he’s attempting more shots per game at the basket and fewer 3-pointers than last season and his free-throw rate is up slightly.
Smith’s free-throw percentage has plummeted to a career-low 57.7 percent this season after he made a career-high 72.5 percent in 2010-11. His free-throw percentage has improved over the last 20 games or so.
Smith said he’s improved his free-throw shooting by taking his time at the line and expects his jump shots to start falling more often as the season goes on.
“It’s a long season but it came to you real quick,” he said. “They are throwing games at us left and right. If you look around the league most people’s percentages are down more so than usual.”
Smith’s emotional demeanor on the court has drawn fire from critics and has caused friction with teammates at times. But Jerry Stackhouse , an Atlanta resident who had developed a relationship with Smith before joining the Hawks this season, said Smith has grown in that area and Smith’s ability makes it difficult for the Hawks to trade him.
“His talent, that’s what you can’t give up on with Josh,” Stackhouse said. “It’s easy to say, ‘All right, let’s just move him.’ And then he goes and clicks at the next stop and you’ve got to look at that every night and you had it in house. That’s kind of the dilemma with Josh. You know you are going to get some uneasy moments from time to time but, for the most part, he’s really about winning. He wants to win. He’s competitive. I relate to that.
“How he handles his emotions and frustrations, sometimes he rubs people the wrong way and bruises them. But I think he’s happy-go-lucky. He thinks, ‘It was just heat of the moment’ and we can move on from it but he can bruise people. I think he’s learning that. He is learning to control his emotions a little better and it’s good for our team. The better Josh Smith is, the better the Atlanta Hawks are.”
Smith said his emotion fuels his performance but he’s made an effort to tone it down in the past couple seasons. He said he’s especially done so this year as injuries to Al Horford and Joe Johnson have increased the team’s reliance on him.
“I’m definitely an emotional player but I’m kind of bottling it up, understanding the importance of what my team needs and just trying to stay positive and have constructive criticism when possible,” he said. “Now I’m at the point of my career where I can voice my opinion a little bit more and it will be recognized more than back in the day [when] it got drowned out more so than anything else.
“[Teammates] know that I have good intentions, no matter how it’s delivered. I am saying stuff because I want to win games. It’s not nothing personal or to try to hurt or bash any one of my teammates or anyone else.”
Michael Cunningham, Hawks beat
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Report: Josh Smith wants out of Atlanta - No Guts, No Glory
March 8th, 2012
4:18 pm
[...] to the list of players that may be moved before the March 15th trade deadline. According to the AJC, Smith wants out of Atlanta because he feels that the Hawks organization didn’t do enough to [...]
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:19 pm
I might get blasted for saying this, BUT I think we should trade Horford for Pierce right now. With Teague, Joe, Josh, Pierce we can do something this year. Boston isnt going anywhere this year anyways and they get a young talented star in Horford to build around with Rondo. It is a win-win for both sides. I get the feeling Josh is as good as gone in 2013, so why not go all out for the title this year?
Grandad
March 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
Has anyone looked at perkins stats for OKC.
they would probably throw in Perk just to unload his contract.
Also;
I`ve read scuttlebutt; nothing solid, only conjecture,
that OKC; feels a need to upgrade defensively
in order to win it all.
*Josh Smith`s name came up.
*T.Sefolosha has been inj and perimeter def is a concern.
*a player like Josh, cleans up weak perimeter def.
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
MC, this is awesome investigative reporting! Keep up the great work Sir!
So Josh wants out of Atlanta.. Well Sund make it happen…
It’s too bad we did not trade him for the #2 pick last year?
Hey its a business! Thanks for the memories Josh!
Now keep it moving…..
Sautee
March 8th, 2012
4:21 pm
“How bout we trade Joe and Al for Dwight?”
Well, maybe because Josh is a close friend of Dwight’s and SURELY has told him that this ownership group is not committed to a championship. If it’s bad enough for Josh to ask to be traded, why would Dwight EVER consider coming here instead of a larger market?
Nice pipe dream, but nothing more. Not to mention that I think D12 will get a lot more than JJ and Al in a trade. A LOT more. NJ already offered B. Lopez and 3 1sts, and were turned down. And think for just a moment about Orlando’s lasting memory of Al fading in the playoffs. Do you seriously think they want him after that?
chuckw/deadjournalist
March 8th, 2012
4:22 pm
i’ve been a hawks fan since diapers (35+ years) and i am a hawks blog original even though i post on here rarely these days, but …
i can’t express how devastating it would be, as a fan, to loose josh smith. it’s hard to equate heart and passion and desire – and it’s harder when you’re young to express that in a way that doesn’t rub people the wrong way – to numbers. but since he was drafted, there have been very few times when i’ve had any reason to doubt josh smith wanted to do anything but win. many times, it seems like he was one of the only ones who seem to care if they won or lost. and yeah, he checked out games, but i believe a lot of that was from frustration – a lot with teammates whose passion for winning did not meet his expectations.
this team is holding it together with the fire of josh smith and zaza. funny, those are also the two guys they were trying to dump last season. says a lot, to me … and none of it good.
not sure i’ve got the energy left to find a new team if the hawks traded josh smith and didn’t dump three of their five other starter, too. but i can tell you i’d care about this team a whole lot less.
Grandad
March 8th, 2012
4:23 pm
I would take Perk`s contract [filler] but not in exchange for Zaza.
Zaza = *’`untouchable`’* !
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:23 pm
@Sautee Well, Orlando is kinda unrealistic if they think they are going to get more than a Joe + Al package for Dwight. Lakers wont offer Gasol + Bynum which would be moronic anyways. And I hate to break it to the Magic but Lopez is highly overrated. I mean it seems Orlando expects to get a LeBron type player in return for Dwight which is just unrealistic and delusional on their part.
GT Alum
March 8th, 2012
4:24 pm
You guys who are hoping ASG amnesties Joe realize they still have to pay him, right? The only reason to amnesty him would be to clear cap space so they could spend that money again. So you’re basically talking about a team that refuses to pay the tax imposing at least a $15M/year luxury tax on themselves. I hate to use the word never, but I feel comfortable saying ASG will never do that.
O'Brien
March 8th, 2012
4:25 pm
As a Hawks fan, how disappointing will it be if the Hawks are not able to give Josh the money he deserves, because they are stuck with Marvin and JJ’s contract?
MC,
Doesnt it speak to the ineptitude of the front office if JJ is not even 2 years into his new deal, and they are already looking to get rid if his contract?
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:26 pm
Horford for Pierce, then Hinrich + Marvin for Kaman. Problem solved
pg Teague
sg Johnson
sf Pierce
pf Smith
c Kaman
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:26 pm
March 15th trading deadline?
T minus 7 days and counting Houston..Josh is ready to jettison outta here! Get it done Sund!
Chuck
March 8th, 2012
4:27 pm
Josh Smith for Harden and Perkins..
Josh Smith Still Wants a Trade.. - NFL,NBA,MLB Forum & Message Board
March 8th, 2012
4:27 pm
[...] [...]
The Truth
March 8th, 2012
4:27 pm
“Monta is small and an awful defender so you’d have to work around that. at least he’d be playing alongside Teague (assuming Teague isn’t part of the deal). but i think the positives, especially No. 1, outweigh the negatives.” MC
The Hawks whole offense is based on JJ as a mismatch. So now you plug Monta in for JJ?
If you think Miami defensively shut us down last night, with Monta in the picture, the Hawks wouldn’t win one game in the playoff, if that was the match-up.
Chuck
March 8th, 2012
4:28 pm
Teague
Joe
Harden
Horford (when healthy)
Perk
Najeh Davenpoop
March 8th, 2012
4:29 pm
“I would do Rondo and Garnett for Josh, Joe, and Teague in a heartbeat. Not sure if the money works.”
The money does work, but I’d rather move Al than Josh in that deal. Do that, and find a way to dump Marvin, and you have enough cap space to sign Dwight. Reunite the old AAU squad. Rondo, Josh, and Dwight. Free throw nightmare, but defensive powerhouse.
GT Alum
March 8th, 2012
4:30 pm
Andrew -
I assume this plan also involves luring Phil Jackson out of retirement to work his zen magic and keep JJ, Smoove and Pierce from killing each other?
Josh Smith wants Atlanta to trade him | Off the Record (OTR)
March 8th, 2012
4:30 pm
[...] reportedly “believes he needs a fresh start with a franchise where he can better reach his potential on and off the [...]
Heisenberg
March 8th, 2012
4:31 pm
I like Kaman. He is FA after season, but Hinrich & Marvin would work. Hornets would have a hard time getter much else.
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:31 pm
TRADE AL HORFORD FOR PAUL PIERCE!!!!!!!!! DO IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:31 pm
Josh for Derrick Williams and 2 1st rd picks!
Waive Marvin..
truth
March 8th, 2012
4:33 pm
Good luck Josh, you played your butt off for a team who wont even surround you with players that want the ring. They lock All of their money in a player thats not a leader. They even got you a coach that was on the sales rack who actually is better than precieved. Leave man and get your money because it wont happen here. ASG deserves what they get. They are the worst owners if professional sports.
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:34 pm
All NBA is done for the season.. Why would any GM worth is own salt trade for Al.. He may never be the same after this devastating injury
O'Brien
March 8th, 2012
4:34 pm
Looking to next year’s salary, we are at $61 mil with just 6 guys under contract.
(JJ ($20 m), Josh ($13.2m), Al ($12m), ZaZa ($5.2m), Teague ($2.4m) and Marvin ($8.3m), so we are already over the cap.
How are we supposed to improve if we will be shopping from the bargain basement again?
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:35 pm
@Slimjr Horfords injury is not that bad. It wasnt an acl or mcl or dislocated shoulder. It was a torn pec. Horford will be as good as he has been next year.
NBA Trade Rumors: Hawks Have No Reason to Shop Josh Smith | :: Sparxxrx LLC ::
March 8th, 2012
4:35 pm
[...] is true despite the fact that according to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Smith wants out of town: Even as Josh Smith is having a [...]
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:36 pm
I cant blame Josh.. He wants to go, let him go……. Or he’ll walk and you get nothing in return Gearon Jr…
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:38 pm
I am getting kinda ticked off here. This team is one damn player away from going to the conference finals and perhaps further. Our management is too moronic to see it and apparently other people on here are too moronic to see it as well. Under no circumstances would I trade Josh Smith right now. We have beaten the Thunder, Bulls, and Heat once this season and could have a couple more wins vs those teams if not for some late collapses. Remember when people said the Mavs should blow it up after failing for a decade? Then comes in Tyson Chandler, the missing piece. It is not time to blow it up!!!!
Josh Smith demands a trade
March 8th, 2012
4:38 pm
[...] [...]
Dawg
March 8th, 2012
4:39 pm
Josh is be the best that we have, now let’s try for average!
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:39 pm
Josh sees the writing on the wall.. This core peaked all ready…With Gearon Jr and his buddies he knows this franchise is just a write off and are not going to win a darn thing…
ECF and Finals are out of reach for these owners….
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:40 pm
Chicago is viewed as some unstoppable force but after Rose, we have them beat at every single position. This Hawks team is closer than you people think.
TMACfan
March 8th, 2012
4:40 pm
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=8ynpswt
Hawks-Celtics possible trade.
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:40 pm
In Sautee words: KaBoom
cp
March 8th, 2012
4:42 pm
Well we have been saying for years on here that the owners are not serious about winning a championship. I dont even hear these guys mention winning it all as a goal,. Its all about just getting in the playoffs with those clowns. If Josh really wants out then you have to trade him. The problem with that is we have Sund as our GM and other teams will low ball us since they know Josh wants out badly and wont sign a new deal once his contract is up. I have no faith in Sund to get good vaulue for Josh. Sund would mess around and trade Josh and give up our first rounder but get marginal talent in return.
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:42 pm
@TMACfan, yeah I’d do that, but why not just Horford for Pierce straight up?
Sautee
March 8th, 2012
4:43 pm
OK, y’all answer this for me:
If Joe Johnson were on the open market right now, what salary would his talents earn?
TMACfan
March 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
@Andrew Lipham
If we can get Rondo too, why not?
JSS
March 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
Wow, logical comments in a blog regarding Josh Smith, what’s happened to the Hawks Blog?
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:44 pm
Can’t Joe Johnson restructure his contract?
KevinM
March 8th, 2012
4:45 pm
Sautee, amnesty period is over for this year…gotta wait until next year. Now, 2 problems with the ASG amnestying anyone:
1) They have to pay them for doing nothing.
2) If they wouldn’t amnesty Marvin over the offseason, there is no way they will do so with Joe.
To move their contracts, you will have to take junk in return. I’m not sure the Wizards would give us Rashard Lewis for Joe.
But if you move Josh, you still have to make another move to get us a big man until Al returns. Kaman is my wish there.
Don’t count on Sund doing more than 1 deal in a week. He will be fortunate to get one completed. So if you have one deal to do, which one is the most critical?
I say we need 2 things; an outside shooter who is deadly (see my Harden deal earlier), and/or Kaman to shore up our inside game and take some of the weight off Zaza, who has played lights out the last week. Kaman for Hinrich/2nd rounder is doable.
Isn’t it strange that Zaza and Teague play better with big minutes? Zaza is not enough if we are fortunate enough to go up against the Bulls.
But in reality, you move Josh this year, you’re done as far as the playoffs are concerned. Could you imagine if Josh went down and we depended on Joe to lead?
O'Brien
March 8th, 2012
4:45 pm
Najeh,
Bob Ryan made the point that for whatever reason, big name FA do not sign with Boston, so you wonder if Boston will feel compelled to make a move. They will have $31 mil coming off the cap with KG and Ray Allen, but what good is cap space if nobody will sign with you?
Boston might do the Josh + Joe + Teague for Rondo + KG if they can move Ray Allen in another deal. A team of Avery Bradley-JJ-Paul Pierce-Josh-FA center is still a formidable team.
If the Hawks make that deal, we could sign Ray Allen (or Jamal
) in the offseason, and roll with Rondo-FA SG-Marvin-Al-Zaza lineup. It would hurt losing Josh, but if we get Rondo and get out from under JJ’s contract, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel if ASG and management know what they are doing.
Although if Doc Rivers is (allegedly) having issues with Rondo, how would LD deal with him?
NBA fan
March 8th, 2012
4:46 pm
“I will tell you though I wouldn’t blame him the fanbase and media in Atlanta is one of the worst in sports. You guys been runnning him out of town for years.”
Correction: Fans have been running EVERYONE out of town for years because none of these teams are exciting and none of them are true contenders. Having said that, all of it isn’t the fans fault.
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:47 pm
Sund is a weak GM..Always reactionary. Does not appear to work another way..
He’s the wrong guy to build a championship team..He’s never done it in 32 years so don’t expect anything new from this weak GM..
Cant blame Josh…Bye Josh, thanks for the memories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Michael Cunningham
March 8th, 2012
4:47 pm
@cccarking: hit me up on Twitter if you see me at a game and i will come by to chat.
Andrew Lipham
March 8th, 2012
4:48 pm
If only I could be this teams GM……….
Slimjr
March 8th, 2012
4:48 pm
NBA fan: Crack is wack!
Josh Smith wants out of Hawks -- and it's hard to blame him | Jeff Schultz
March 8th, 2012
4:49 pm
[...] Our Michael Cunningham reports that, while external criticism of Smith has significantly diminished this season, the forward wants a fresh start with a new team and he has let the Hawks know of his desire to be dealt before the NBA’s March 15 trade deadline. [...]
The Truth
March 8th, 2012
4:49 pm
truth does not = The Truth