Josh Smith wants out of Hawks — and it’s hard to blame him
Josh Smith's 30 points led a recent upset of Oklahoma City, and he has been the Hawks' best player this season. (AP photo)
By the end of last season, the criticism had started to become too much for Josh Smith.
When something went wrong, he got blamed. When the Hawks lost, he got blamed. Certainly, any time he did something silly and made one of those pouty, lower-lip-touches-the-tip-of-the-nose boo-boo faces, the city’s basketball fans held their nose in disgust and screamed, “Feh!”
At some point, it all figured to be too much for the hometown kid – and now it is.
Smith wants out of the Hawks. Out of Atlanta. I don’t blame him. I wrote a column following last season’s playoff exit that it might be best if the two parties went in opposite directions, and that was meant less as criticism of Smith than it was a read of the unhealthy situation. It was clear how he and those in his camp felt about the situation.
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 irony here is that Smith has had the best season of his career. He has averaged 17 points, almost 10 rebounds, 3.5 assists and two blocks. When center Al Horford went down early this season, Smith stepped up and took on a bigger role. When guard Joe Johnson went down, Smith went on to carry this team.
Is Smith great every night? No. But what we’ve witnessed this season is a smarter, far more mature and polished player than at any time in his eight-year career. When training camp opened following the league’s lockout, Smith showed up 25 pounds lighter, wearing a smile and having a seemingly new perspective on things.
He denied that criticism ever prompted him to ask for a trade in the offseason, but cracked that at times he was tempted to “get lost. Punch the GPS a few times.”
“I’ve been here a long time,” Smith continued. “I’ve never lashed out at the organization. All I ask for sometimes is, when I raise my hand, maybe somebody can help me up, so I’m not always the person who’s trying to [defend me from criticism]. It would be nice if somebody else said, ‘This guy’s a pretty good player.’”
He certainly has shown that this season. Now he wants out. Figures.
How does this look if you’re the Hawks?
The kid from College Park doesn’t want to play for the hometown team. Dwight Howard, an Atlanta native, doesn’t want to play here, either.
It’s one thing when hockey players from Russia (Ilya Kovalchuk) and Slovakia (Marian Hossa) want out. But two guys who grew up playing pickup games on the city’s black tops?
Neither Smith nor Howard have a problem with Atlanta itself. It’s more about perceptions of the franchise and the ownership. As players move on in their career, winning titles becomes more important. Smith wants to play for a franchise more committed to winning a championship — or at least one that leaves the impression it knows what it takes to get there.
The Hawks have been an undersized team with Horford as their center, but their inability to make significant roster fixes can be traced directly to ownership’s decision to give Johnson a $123.7 million contract.
Smith has been the Hawks’ best player this season. He got jobbed in All-Star game selection twice — first when Eastern Conference coaches picked reserves, then when commissioner David Stern inexplicably chose the suspended Rajon Rondo over Smith to replace the injured Johnson. Smith apparently holds the Hawks at least partially responsible, believing the organization didn’t do enough to promote his candidacy.
My guess is that perceptions of the younger, immature, underachieving Smith still linger with some and had more to do with his exclusion. But Smith has been a treasure to watch for most of this season. Now he wants out. It was easy to see coming.
By Jeff Schultz
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185 comments Add your comment
timthebrave
March 9th, 2012
9:42 am
If you could work for the spirit group or anyone else what would you choose
AnotherThree
March 9th, 2012
9:49 am
Is Josh’s season similar to a baseball players year before going free agent where his numbers go sky high, signs a BIG contract and than disappears. Either he is improving or using this extra effort to improve his stock while demanding a trade. If he stays and signs a long term contract which player will you have. Last year or this years version.
Devil's Advocate
March 9th, 2012
9:55 am
SPORTSGIRL nailed it on Page 1. The Falcons get a pass for accomplishing nothing. The Braves get a pass based on the now distant 14 year run with 1 WS Championship. The norm in Atlanta for my lifetime has been that the Hawks are the dependable playoff team in town while the Braves and Falcons could make a run. I will say the Braves are in much better shape these days than before The Run and the Falcons are much better off than when owned by the Smith family but both franchises get way too much credit by the local media. Even the Thrashers got more praise than the Hawks and they only made the playoffs 1 time, getting bounced in short order.
On the other hand, I don’t blame the media for slamming the Hawks if their motivation is their relationship with the ASG. But that’s what I don’t understand about the high praise for the Thrashers…
J Dubb
March 9th, 2012
10:07 am
Sorry Jeff. I was just trying to sound as stupid as that post (in a sarcastic way). Some people read into your and MB’s articles however they want because they’re not very intelligent.
I knew what she was getting at; so did you.
I will behave from now on.
JSS
March 9th, 2012
10:22 am
GTT
March 9th, 2012
6:19 am
“I’ll bet the Yearwood-Brookses have the real value to buy the team.”
He just spent 3 years suing a community hospital over $500,000. He had to give half of net worth to ex Sandy Mahl back in 2000. The same goes for Yearwood who did not have a pre-nup husband number 2. So $325 million + $40 million (best guess sourced net worth) = $365 million in net worth…
Still feeling so confident in your statement? Oh by the way, you stand a better chance if you said the OKC Thunder and Clayton Bennett’s Professional Basketball Club LLC since he and the Yearwood-Brookses are such close buds!
nash
March 9th, 2012
11:05 am
This would be the best chance to send him to the west coast. He could go to L.A. for Paul Gasol and, a draft pick or Paul and, a another player
Rupe in DC
March 9th, 2012
11:13 am
Call me crazy but…….. Has anyone in the Hawks organization ever approached Joe Johnson about a contract redo in order to be able to afford some of the missing pieces? Or is that just a pi-in-the sky notion on my part?
I guess the answer is obvious.
John
March 9th, 2012
11:15 am
This article is completely falsified. I have spoken with both the Owner, a personal friend of mine, and Mr. Smith, both of which have said this rumor is COMPLETELY FALSE. If you can’t find accurate facts and are struggling to write an article, write it on something true please. Lies like this simply prove that you are even a greater scumbag than people thought before. Leave our city and our paper, because nobody wants you here.
Sonny Clusters
March 9th, 2012
11:21 am
“We haven’t had the lineup all together really with the exception of the first [spring] game,” Jones said. – So, who’s fault is that?
“So the lack of production down here is kind of a mirage.” – We don’t think so. Neither was last September a “mirage”.
“But I don’t care how we’re swinging it the first week, I care how we’re swinging it the last five or six games. That’s what is important to me.” – We was thinking he didn’t swing much the first week so his first week hasn’t even started.
“If these guys take three or four weeks to get going, that’s OK as long as they get going before April gets here.” – We was wondering more about when Chipper’s going to get going.
Therein lies the problem.
DM
March 9th, 2012
11:33 am
The Hawks management team should do whatever is necessary to trade Josh Smith and work vigorously to trade Joe Johnson too. The Hawks team and fans deserve players who are team players with a desire to win, not individual whinny show-boats. Make it happen Hawks management.
what of it?
March 9th, 2012
11:36 am
It says Atlanta Spirit is for sh!t
HUH???
March 9th, 2012
11:39 am
Atlanta has a NBA team??? Who knew???
GoooDawgs
March 9th, 2012
12:05 pm
Rondo for Smith, straight up. Return of Horford next year, Rondo can be the missing PG that we desperately need to form this into some semblance of a “team”, couple of free agents, our mid-first round draft pick, etc.
Trojan
March 9th, 2012
12:14 pm
Would a trade for Boras Diaw and their #1 pick be a good trade for Josh and our #1 pick?
Wayne stuck in AL
March 9th, 2012
12:36 pm
I’m glad to see Atlanta Hawk fan finally see what Thrasher fan had to suffer through the last several years of the franchise.
Hawks brass blo
March 9th, 2012
12:42 pm
Anybody else notice how Josh has elevated his game since he was snubbed for the all star game? And how hes elevated his game since he decided he wanted to be traded? So what Josh, you finally decided to start really trying after you got mad? What a chump! Bye! And take big booty Marvin with you!
Hawks brass blo
March 9th, 2012
12:44 pm
Incredibly selfish player. I say good riddance. It is so obvious now that he hasn’t been trying to play as hard as he can till now when he wants something. Get rid of his arss!
tmc
March 9th, 2012
12:56 pm
The smart thing to do would be to trade the disgruntled player now while you can get the most for him. This player has a lot of talent and potential, but has been nothing but the most inconsistent performer in Atlanta sports. I say that because of the wide range of performance and effort given by Josh Smith.
He can be great…. he can also disappear in any and every game.
Since it would be the smart thing to do… i’m sure ASG, or whatever they are calling themselves now, will screw it up!
Something tells me that neither Josh or the Atlanta fans will get what they want in this situation.
warfalcon
March 9th, 2012
1:17 pm
If they trade Josh what will the P arena be called then THE LOWLIGHT FACTORY.
UGASlobberknocker
March 9th, 2012
1:50 pm
We fans want out, too.
UGASlobberknocker
March 9th, 2012
1:52 pm
@Trojan NO
Atanta Fan
March 9th, 2012
2:13 pm
Fire the owners. and by the way sports girl you are a dumb a@#
Jermaine
March 9th, 2012
2:16 pm
The fact of the matter is you are dumb as hell to pay a avg joe all that money. We need a coach that knows how to coach and josh smith needs to stop shooting those jumpers and stop crying. The hole team needs to be tossed in the ocean. But I will keep Al , only the rest needs to be thrown out plus the owners because I can promise u if these owners still own the hawks in 10yrs the hawks will never make it to the FINALS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Jermaine
March 9th, 2012
2:21 pm
People want to know why people never go to a hawk game is because the owners dont want to win they are scared to pay a real coach or a real GM
Andy
March 9th, 2012
2:28 pm
I think we should trade Josh for whoever that is standing behind him in the photo–who has A BASKETBALL FOR A HEAD! How cool would that be?
Cry Baby Josh
March 9th, 2012
3:26 pm
Bye Bye Baby
Ray Bud
March 9th, 2012
3:37 pm
It’s a shame to see a talent like Josh Smith wanting out. We already screwed ourselves with the Joe Johnson contract. Am i the only one who noticed that since Joe signed that big contract, his numbers has went down. It’s almost as if he was finished once the ink dried on the paper. Trade Joe Johnson….Trade Marvin Williams….Horford and Smith are the reasons for our success. Trade everyone else on this team except those two.
Ken Strickland
March 9th, 2012
3:38 pm
I think it’s totally rediculous to blame JJ’s contract as the reason for us not bringing in what we need. The real culprit is ownerships UNWILLINGNESS to pay a luxury tax, period. If ownership was willing to pay a luxury tax, we could already have another proven backup center.
Big Ray
March 9th, 2012
8:55 pm
This is the ultimate indictment on the current Hawks ownership, and ensures no big name free agent will come calling willingly (might get traded here unwillingly).
That said, there’s no reason why we should STILL be talking about Smith’s immaturity and inconsistent play.
So yeah, both sides benefit from a change of scenery. Thing is, as long as Gearon and Co are here, we’ll continue to get the worse end of the deal.
Waffle House or Bust
March 9th, 2012
11:47 pm
Why would anyone want to play for the Hawks? But I find it funny Josh wants out when he does not give 100% every night. If he did (and the rest of the team did as well) this team would be what we all expected four years ago. If the owners would’ve gotten rid of Woodson earlier and hired a real coach then we might be in a batter place. But they did not and we are not.
thrashers fan
March 10th, 2012
4:17 pm
im glad to see hawks fans experience a small bit of what thrasher fans went through
corporate tv ball sux
March 10th, 2012
8:50 pm
this is one fan that apprectiates seeing a player block shots on one end and then running the floor to get the slam on the other end. and this is one fan that has appreciated josh smith since the first day his sneakers hit the hardwood floors of the highlight factory. oh wait, the highlight factory was built by josh smith. and dont forget that we havent seen a defensive presence since theo ratliff or deke! ill say it again, basketball is a team sport. teague/kirk/josh/ivan/zaza al will be back soon. trade joe or put him at 3 or 4. all the money in his pockets seem to slow him down(and the rest of the team) when playing hawks basketball.
Dlew
March 11th, 2012
9:34 am
Why is Josh Smith just now being seen as the best player of this team, He has been that since he was drafted. Smith should have been advertised more as the face of the hawks because he is a home grown talent and would have been an all-star in which he deserves. The only player on court showing effort has been Josh. Joe Johnson is not the answer and never will be, should have had a push on Rudy Gay last summer before giving Joe Johnson all the money, now you stuck with him and no Finals run. I sure wouldn’t mind seeing Monte Ellis in a Hawks uniform creating buzz for the city.
sam
March 12th, 2012
10:27 pm
Thanks, Jeff! The lack of appreciation (to say the least) of Josh’s talents the last two years has gone way beyond ridiculous. The owner’s should be on their knees to him, thanking him for providing the spark for the team. Last year was enough of a travesty when he didn’t make the All Star Team. I have no words to explain the absurdity this year, other than Chris Webber’s wonderful tweet – call 911.
Also, we must not forget that, prior to this year, Josh was actually guarding at least TWO people at one time – his man and Mike Bibby’s.
The effort and emotion and talent he has given us these last few years cannot be matched.
A certain announcer, for some reason, does not seem to understand basketball at all, as he, as well as the owners, should be held responsible for the utmost in stupidity.
Please don’t leave, Josh!!! YOU ARE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!
Hawks don't see trade deadline as Josh Smith deadline | Jeff Schultz
March 13th, 2012
4:31 pm
[...] Josh Smith wants out. That was reaffirmed publicly recently, even if behind the scenes it wasn’t news. He has wanted out all season. [...]