Atlanta Hawks: Hawks said to pursue Josh Smith for Pau Gasol trade
According to Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, the Hawks have tired to trade forward Josh Smith for Lakers forward Pau Gasol.
Bresnahan tweeted that no deal is imminent. And a big caveat is that his report says the Hawks first expressed interest in Gasol after Los Angeles was eliminated from the playoffs by the Thunder, back when Rick Sund was still Hawks GM.
The Hawks have since hired GM Danny Ferry, who says he’s focused on building long term. Gasol turns 32 next week and is owed more than $38 million over the next two seasons.
Also, Bresnahan and ESPN’s Chad Ford reported the Lakers are open to trading Gasol for a high lottery pick and players, a price the Hawks can’t match.
The Rockets, who have been accumulating draft picks, could meet the Lakers’ price. Houston already tried to trade for Gasol as part of the infamous Chris Paul deal that was eventually nixed by NBA commissioner David Stern.
Update: Ford now says the Rockets aren’t pursuing Gasol.
Smith, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, first told the Hawks he wanted to be traded after last season and reiterated that desire prior to this season’s deadline. Smith wants to join a franchise he feels is more committed to winning and play in a market with better fan support.
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
588 comments Add your comment
JC
June 28th, 2012
6:10 am
As a lifelong Laker fan, I don’t see how ATL fans can balk at this trade. Gasol is much better than Smith, who really hasn’t done anything. It would be the trade that does ATL good. Just maybe it would do some good for the ATL fan base, or whatever of it is left. Maybe it is about both the players and fans in ATL…the reason why they have never won it all. This would be a good start to change that.
vava74
June 28th, 2012
6:20 am
I don’t necessarily like the trade Josh-Pau but I would not dislike it.
I think Josh can and should be the Hawks #1 guy and if he had not gone down in that damn 4th quarter we would have eliminated the Celts, even with the refereeing against us.
Yes, Josh has defects, but a good coach would iron them out and would place JJ on the wing, ready to catch and shoot, just like in his PHO days, instead of eroding seconds with completely useless ISO plays.
Those my friends, are for me FACTS.
brigadierjerry
June 28th, 2012
6:39 am
It seems a lot of Hawks fans are split in regards to whether you want to make this move or not. They should do a poll on this blog on if you want to reload or retool the team or blow it up. So I ask all Hawks fans do you want to retool/reload the team or blow it up?
vava74
June 28th, 2012
7:00 am
The biggest and most effective improvement which the Hawks could do is ON THE BENCH.
Get LD’s sorry ass outta here and get a real coach that looks in the players’ eyes and tells them what they need to hear:
JJ, stop that ISO-sh*t because it’s not working against playoff caliber defenses. Use is sparingly and against less opposition only.
Josh, get your head straight and play to your strengths and not to your weaknesses. Hit your free throws and once you hit them at an .825 clip you can get back at launching jumpers if you want to (which would translate into him not being able to launch them).
Ray
June 28th, 2012
7:16 am
I don’t want nothing to do with Tony Wroten this guy isn’t a team player yes he’s got it all, but there is a reason he fell so far in the draft and possibly out of the first round.
He is selfish and not a team player and probably even a headcase(maturity issues). We already had that with Josh the maturity issues way back when don’t need it again.
We’ll find out Tonight if Danny Ferry got what it takes just don’t trade Josh or Al that’s all I ask.
darrell starks
June 28th, 2012
7:16 am
Are you serious trading Josh for Gasol.
In what way will you get better bring in a 32 years old Gasol.
Trade Joe for Gasol not Josh.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 28th, 2012
7:23 am
Danny the Hawks future are Josh, Horford, Teague, continue to add pieces not bring in some guy on the back end of his career.
Joe for Gasol make more sense, because of the age and contract, Hawks would finally get rid of Joe horrible contract, and can starte building this team on a championship level. Hawks trade Josh for nothing would be the biggest mistake for this organization.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 28th, 2012
7:37 am
The real problem on this team is the coach, LD have no understanding on making players be responsible.
Josh Bring the ball up court instead of trying find PG.
Joe ISO 18 seconds of 24 second shot clock.
Many more problems LD can not lead a team who have no clue.
These are a coaches issue not players.
Fire LD
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 28th, 2012
7:45 am
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6tkgn8o
This the trade Hawks should make finally get rid of Joe Contract.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
darrell starks
June 28th, 2012
7:48 am
STARTER TEAGUE, GERALD GREEN, JOSH, HORFORD, GASOL
BENCH PARGO, JEFFEREY TAYLOR, MARVIN, IVAN, ZAZA
RESERVE GREEN, COLLINS, ?
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dnice
June 28th, 2012
7:49 am
Gasol is not a center so again we are stuck with another F unfortunately this one does not block shots and play good D like the hometown kid. We traded Pau Gasol once so why fool with him again unless you forget he was who we traded the rights when we got Abdur Rahim. You dont bring in a bigger contract when you might as well play out the Josh contract unless you are getting a lottery pick.
Ray
June 28th, 2012
7:52 am
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=7uzmnj7
Make it happen Danny Ferry we improve by three wins.
darrell starks
June 28th, 2012
7:53 am
http://youtu.be/EXF1tlDZymA
Go get this guy as replacement for Joe.
GO HAWKS!!!!!!!!!!!
vava74
June 28th, 2012
7:58 am
Ray, there is no chance in the world that GS will trade two good players (one decent and one up and coming) for Marvin.
No chance in hell.
To trade Marvin you need to find someone who has a similar bad contract, but shorter, and sweeten the deal with picks.
That’s the only way to get rid of Marvin.
Just Joe
June 28th, 2012
8:01 am
Random draft day thoughts:
Minnesota is a team that could really use Joe Johnson. Dallas too. Maybe Cleveland and/or Washington (which one misses out on Beal).
Golden State could use Marvin Williams, but I don’t want Jefferson or Biedrins in return.
I’d give up Al Horford if I could get back Drummond plus a proven young wing player and some cap space.
Ray
June 28th, 2012
8:07 am
@ vava74
They traded away Monta Ellis so you never know with certain teams to them Marvin could be the one that’s why I did that trade and plus with just Wright their over the cap so that’s what I got thompson too.
jay
June 28th, 2012
8:13 am
lol, an article about another article
Air Zaza
June 28th, 2012
8:34 am
@JC
Josh Smith is better than Pau Gasol, younger, quicker, faster, more versatile, better defender, better contract, still improving and not regressing, and he actually has elite abilities in his skill-set. This has stupid as hell all over it for Atlanta.
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
8:36 am
JJ, Minny is after Brandon Roy and will be much cheaper….plus KMartin is rumored to be heading to Minny if the Roy deal dies.
Marvin to GS? Take their 2nd round pick and move on. Try to wrangle #35 out of them…if not, take their 52nd and say thanks for taking Speedy last time. Marvin can then become a superstar out West….:)
If the nimbers have to match, give us Edoh also and call it a swap.
J
June 28th, 2012
8:39 am
I think everyone knows Josh wants out and i agree with most on here, you’re not going to get much better than Gasol at this point. Better to get rid of him now and get something great back in return. His basketball IQ has been killing us!
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
8:40 am
Gasol is a lot of money to take on….for this franchise.
I like the Josh to Sac or Char move best…..both teams then have excitement in their arena for the next year minimum.
Go get us a high pick Danny! I will accept most anyone you select, except for Doc’s kid.
Call me crazy, but why does Dion Waiters remind me of Marvin Williams scenario V 2.0?
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
8:44 am
Note to Ferry: don’t let the Bulls get their combo guard of choice.
They’re looking at Barton and Lamb…..Take the one you like best at 23 because I dont’ think Royce White is a SF.
To all the projections that we’re picking a big man….I don’t see it because of the questions of each guy.
NATIVE SON
June 28th, 2012
8:47 am
I say no to this trade. Pao; may not have any ” Gas- at OL”
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
8:50 am
NBAdraft.net has us taking Sullinger now at PF.
Why do we always see PF beside our projected picks? That’s the last thing this team ‘needs’.
Its like OKC taking Doron Lamb….I can’t see OKC taking a guard in all this.
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
8:56 am
Coach Calipari on Kidd-Gilchrist’ future:
“”He will be the face of some organization in the next three to four years,” Calipari said Tuesday on ESPN’s Pardon The Interruption, “and if people pass on him, he’s one of those guys you pass on and look back and go, ‘Oh my gosh, we passed on him?’”
Go get him Danny….make the deal with Charlotte…….Rich Cho and his analytics will do this deal.
HawksFanSince'89
June 28th, 2012
9:04 am
Keep Josh, and negotiate a restructured contract with Joe Johnson.
O'Brien
June 28th, 2012
9:07 am
Ra’mon,
Paying $12 Million for 14 and 10 isn’t necessarily a great deal. Its decent value, but we can’t say he’s been the player we all envisioned after his first two seasons in the league..
I will agree that Al needs to show some improvement. But $12 mil for 14 and 10 from a center is market value. Look at what Nene, Bogut, DeAndre Jordan, Okafor etc are getting.
vava,
If I’m Danny Ferry, I would be asking the ASG about using the amnesty on Marvin. That gives us a little more flexibility, and a chance to add a solid player (not just a vet min guy).
I hear Jamal is available
vava74
June 28th, 2012
9:11 am
Ray,
Monta for Bogut is a legitimately balance trade.
Monta is all offense and although he puts a lot points in the board, he has not been able to deliver success. He is undersized and does not defend.
Bogut, if healthy (big IF) is a quality player with some deficiencies too.
Plus, Klay Thomsom seemed a good big guard for the future.
Marvin is almost worthless and strictly salary dump material.
truth
June 28th, 2012
9:18 am
We should have kept Gasol when we drafted him in 2001
Now we want him when he is used goods?
Jfreak13713
June 28th, 2012
9:19 am
They wont but they should! Smith needs a change and the Hawks need to begin a smart vet with a Championship background to teach them how to win.
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
9:26 am
I wonder if any team has used their amnesty clause to simply sign a player they could have signed using their MLE. Because Marvin would allow us to sing a $5M player, right at the MLE level. Seems kind of a waste of the amnesty chip to me. Seems like the ideal time to use amnesty is when it could get you a player who is a $10M+ earner. Those guys tend to be difference makers. The better time to use amnesty on Marvin (IMO) would be next summer when Josh walks (and leaves his diehard fans crying like Ann Curry) and Zaza heads out the door. With Marvin dumped, the Hawks would probably have the room to make some hay. Would a $5M player push this team into the ECF? Doubtful. Maybe I value the amnesty chip more than others… I wouldn’t waste it to sign a mid-tier player.
SLAM ONLINE | » Lakers, Hawks Discussing a Trade Involving Josh Smith and Pau Gasol?
June 28th, 2012
9:31 am
[...] The latest rumor is that there are talks between LA and Atlanta about a possible swap involving Gasol and Josh Smith. Per the LA Times and AJC: “Smith has been unhappy in Atlanta for more than a year, his [...]
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
9:38 am
For those who talk about drafting Drummond, are you saying that based on Drummond himself or just his physical attributes? In other words, if there were another 7-footer with tremendous upside named Jamal Doe, would you advocate trading to acquire that player if he were being discussed in the top 10? Would just any high-potential, athletic 7-footer do?
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
9:41 am
From Chad Ford’s latest mock:
Analysis: Nicholson’s ability to score inside and outside combined with his defensive abilities should be a nice fit in Atlanta — especially with Josh Smith now on the trading block.
Trade Scenarios: The Hawks are shopping Smith around the league, trying to move up in the lottery. They also have some interest in Pau Gasol, according to sources. The Rockets have also shown interest in Smith.
Hawks’ Big Board:
1. Royce White
2. Jared Sullinger
3. Andrew Nicholson
4. Evan Fournier
5. Tony Wroten
PMC
June 28th, 2012
9:53 am
This story is as bogus as Notre Dame going to the Big 12. I don’t know who leaked it, but it’s just dumb.
Pau Gasol is a broken down 32. Josh Smith is on the cusp of being a fantastic NBA player (even if he doesn’t do it here)
That trade would be mind numbingly stupid.
Just Joe
June 28th, 2012
9:53 am
AJ….my wanting Drummond is based on his physical attributes (height, wingspan, strength, leaping ability, etc…) in relation to his age (still 18 years old). So in that respect, any prospect with similar attributes would be a target of mine.
I’m not sold that he’s the next great one, but with only five or six legit centers in the league, I’d take the chance. By the way, I like Meyers Leonard as well. Any Josh to Houston trade to me, should include (but not be limited to) the ability to draft Leonard or Drummond, plus the rights to last year’s draft choice Donatas Montiejunas.
PMC
June 28th, 2012
9:54 am
LA wants to get rid of Gasol. This is pretty much like us saying anyone for Horrible Marvin.
PMC
June 28th, 2012
9:55 am
Ferry has to find a way to generate interest in Atlanta more than anything else. Why would he trade his most entertaining player, for a guy who isn’t the least bit interesting or entertaining?
Mike
June 28th, 2012
9:57 am
I think that each passing hour that the Rockets doesnt trade those three picks to Orlando, its going to be trade to Atlanta, I got a feeling that is going to be 16 and/or 18 and expired player for Josh. I got a feeling and plus those three players will be cheaper then Pau or Josh.
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
10:03 am
I just saw Ferry’s latest posted interview and didn’t realize his dad played for the St.Louis Hawks and his brother was drafted by the Hawks 7th round ‘85 as well. He has Hawks’ history in his background.
He’s been here less than a week, and on Day 1, he discussed having a parade downtown one day.
He specified how Levenson stated that things could have been better in teh past…you think?
Can he make a roster splash in Week 1?
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:04 am
PMC, Hawks remain among the bottom feeders in home attendance. Josh being the team’s top draw is like John Wall being the Wizards top player. That stuff only matters if it makes a material difference. josh doesn’t make a material difference in the team’s home attendence.
Just Joe, thanks. I was struck by the comment Lamb made about Drummond, something to the affect that he can be great “if he works”. A very strong statement from a teammate. I just think the hawks need to consider other things than just physical attributes if they trade a known player for a rookie. I think we take 16/10 for granted around here (I don;t know how we got that comfortable, given the lack of quality big men in the league). Think about all of the 6′11″ players that have come out in the past 5 years, not many are even in the vicinity of 16/10. A bunch of them can’t even earn playing time to produce 6 & 4. I wonder how many 6′10″+ players in the past 5 years are even as productive as Zaza? My guess, very, very, very few.
PMC
June 28th, 2012
10:09 am
I agree with you Astro Joe, but getting Gasol back for Josh isn’t going to improve anything either. It would be better to get a draft pick if possible than Gasol at this point.
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
10:10 am
Mike, you could be dead on because I always said Josh was worth 2 #1s if Al Jefferson is…..and IMO, the middle of the round is not a bad place to be with this draft.
There is some viable talent mid round…you could get lucky and get Terrance Ross at 12. Houston has 16 and 18 also.
We get 3 picks in this draft and we have a new approach to this team.
Ra'mon
June 28th, 2012
10:12 am
O’B, all of the centers you just mentioned, all got paid off of potential, not off of production. And each of the centers you mentioned have been traded from the team that gave them those deals (except for Jordan who the Clippers want to deal this off season and couldn’t get off the bench in the 4th quarter against Spurs or Memphis in clutch games). Al’s production was effectively replaced by a back up center making half of what he makes. If the Hawks had TWO of those centers (Zaza and someone not named Collins or Dampier) they would save money and be able to use Al as a big trade chip. Hawks played an entire season with Al and didn’t lose anything. So you replace Al with whatever you bring back in a trade, and theoretically (I know it doesn’t always work out as planned) the Hawks should get better. We don’t know how the team will play for a season without Josh. But we know how they play without Al, and its not terrible.
O'Brien
June 28th, 2012
10:12 am
AJ,
Hawks are at $62 mil with 7 players (including a first round pick). That leaves about $9 mil to sign 6 players without going into LT. If you use the MLE on 1 player, then we are down to $4 mil to sign 5 players.
If you amnesty Marvin (and assuming he signs for $3 mil somewhere else), Hawks would have $14 mil before going into LT. So using the MLE would still leave enough room to sign other players without going into LT.
You think it’s a better idea to use the amnesty next season when Marvin has an expiring contract? If he is expiring, shouldn’t we be able to trade him then?
jk
June 28th, 2012
10:17 am
I don’t think our players our the problem…the problem is that we don’t have a leader…if we get someone like derek fisher, who can grab josh and tell him to stop shooting 3’s, grab joe, and make him meaner, we’ll be fine…we haven’t had a leader on this team, not from management, front office, head coach or a player…we have the talent…just need a leader…NBA is a league that wins with guards, wing players, and athletic power forwards, not with big centers…we have the piceses, now if we had someone who can lead them and make them play together…that’s where we lack
KevinM
June 28th, 2012
10:23 am
The 1st choice is to move Marvin on draft night when rosters are being layed out and before other vets open up their options.
The 2nd choice is amnesty……you free up 8.27M immediately and you can get 2-3 solid contributors with that nimber…or perhaps a Steve Nash?
The no choice is to let him play his contract out…..nogo!
Moving Marvin is as big as moving a PF off our team and balancing out this roster.
Sautee
June 28th, 2012
10:27 am
“I wonder how many 6′10″+ players in the past 5 years are even as productive as Zaza? My guess, very, very, very few.”
Gee AJ, three verys? Off the top of my head:
Durant, Horford, B. Griffin, Noah, D. Cousins, Hawes, Gallinari, Taj Gibson, Greg Monroe, B. Lopez, R. Lopez, Jason Thompson, M. Speights, Hibbert, J. McGee, J.J. Hickson, etc., etc., etc.
I think your guess is off just a little. Or else your definition of “very, very, very few”
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:36 am
Sautee, yeah, but what is the total number? Anthony Randolph, Donte Green, about 8 players selected by the Warriors and Bucks who have been in the witness protection plan, Thabeet, Jordan Hill, Hilton Armstrong, Brandon Wright, Patrick O’Bryant, Mullen, Swift, Petro, Wilcox, Ely and I’m not sure about Hickson, R. Lopez, Speights or Jason Thompson on your list, that is debateable over the course of their 2-3 year careers.
But maybe I need to drop a few “verys”. Still seems like drafting an athletic big man with nothing but the promise of upside is a very risky proposition.
Astro Joe
June 28th, 2012
10:41 am
OB, seems like we live in a do it now world. Hawks have around $17M coming off the books next summer. Adding Marvin would give them significant room. And it would likely come at a time when Ferry has hired a new coach and is executing his master plan. Sund proved that you can put together an effective bench by shopping at the Dollar Store. I know many can’t stomach another year of Marvin in a Hawks uni, I think using amnesty on him this summer would be a year too soon. If they can trade him tonight, do it. But again, I probably value that clause more than most.