Hawks’ Ferry doesn’t foresee Josh Smith going anywhere
Hawks general manager Danny Ferry envisions his team with Josh Smith on it. (AP photo)
In his first few weeks as general manager, Danny Ferry has managed to exorcise the Hawks’ franchise of two mistakes (Joe Johnson for his contract; Marvin Williams for the assumption he had a pulse), acquire nine new players through trades and the draft and live in three different Atlanta hotels.
On Wednesday, he exhaled and we had breakfast (in a hotel).
“I really haven’t lived in Atlanta yet,” he said. “When I’ve been in town, I’ve spent most of my time on the 19th floor [at the Hawks’ downtown offices]. But I’ve enjoyed the challenges.”
The new Hawks haven’t played a game. Yet, Ferry enjoys a level of popularity that Pete Babcock, Billy Knight and Rick Sund never attained. Locating a Russian billionaire to assume $90 million of your team’s payroll can do wonders for a general manager’s Q score.
At least in the short term — and assuming Dwight Howard isn’t walking through that door – there’s really only one major decision left for Ferry to make in the short term. And that’s: What to do with Josh Smith? The likely answer for now appears to be nothing.
Smith, tired of being singled out for blame when things go wrong and yearning to compete for a championship, told the Hawks last year he wanted out. But much has changed since then. Ferry replaced Sund. He arrived with a “more objective view” of where the Hawks were. He was given autonomy to make needed changes.
Ferry will tell you that he “didn’t come in looking to” trade Johnson, but the opportunity presented itself (and he pounced). But Smith is a different story. Ferry likes him — a lot.
“He’s a really good player,” Ferry said. “I love his ability to pass the ball. I love his ability to make game-changing plays defensively. I love his competitiveness. If I was out there playing, I would want Josh on my team.”
But does Smith want to be here? He wasn’t available for comment Tuesday, but Ferry said he has met with him twice.
“He’s excited for next season,” he said. “We haven’t really gone in that direction with him [on roster plans]. But we’ve talked about how we’re going to play. We’ve talked about other players. His ideas, my ideas. I’m just trying to establish a relationship.”
Smith has only one year left on his contract. While he reportedly has softened his stance on a trade request, he publicly has given no indication yet that he’s looking to re-sign here. He is coming off the best season of his career (18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds), taking on more responsibility after Al Horford’s injury, even with the occasional “Josh” moment.
“All players have strengths and areas where they have to get better,” Ferry said. “All of them are praised and criticized.”
Ferry has a vision for the Hawks next season, and Smith is a part of that. They’ll run more. They’ll have to, given the lack of size. They’re a guard-heavy team, with moves that brought in Devin Harris, Anthony Morrow, Louis Williams, Kyle Korver and rookie John Jenkins.
“The ball will be in Devin Harris’ hands a lot and Jeff Teague’s hands a lot. We’ll have space for them to attack the rim. We’ll play through Josh a little more. We’ll use Josh and Al to pick-and-roll or post up. We’ll be fun to watch.”
I know. It’s July. Every plan is perfect. Nobody has lost a game yet.
But isn’t it nice to see a general manager with a vision, one who is willing to make the bold move, not the easy one?
Will the Hawks compete for a title next season? Not likely. But Ferry knew when he took over things had to change. The Hawks weren’t going to improve from the one- or two-round playoff team with the core they had.
Actually, Ferry believes, they were going to get worse.
“It would’ve been very difficult for them to get better — as a matter of fact, it would start to turn in the other direction very quickly,” he said. “They had very little [payroll] flexibility, and to maintain status quo would’ve meant being a high-tax team, for a team that wasn’t going to be good enough.”
It remains to be seen how good the Hawks will be next season. But it appears Smith isn’t going anywhere. That would be another offseason surprise.
By Jeff Schultz
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SLAM ONLINE | » Hawks GM Danny Ferry Expects Josh Smith to Remain in Atlanta
July 26th, 2012
10:41 am
[...] and wanted to be traded, but he seems to have come around, and the Hawks’ new GM Danny Ferry believes Smith will be sticking around the A for a little while longer. From the AJC: “The new Hawks haven’t played a game. Yet, Ferry [...]
ag
July 26th, 2012
10:48 am
5. Atlanta Hawks
I love Danny Ferry’s endgame. After taking over as the Hawks’ GM earlier this summer, he realized his new club’s ceiling was the second round of the playoffs. So Ferry immediately began dumping long-term contracts for expiring deals. The moves will position Atlanta to be a major player on next summer’s free-agent market — and perhaps beyond. Great plan.
But this season the Hawks will fall off a bit. Ferry’s purge cost them their best player, Joe Johnson, and Marvin Williams. The Hawks are still probably a playoff team, mind you, what with Josh Smith, Al Horford and the newly acquired Devin Harris. But they’re a bottom-rung playoff team at best. And that’s a plunge from the No. 4-5 seed territory they’re used to inhabiting.
- Chris Broussard ESPN
ag
July 26th, 2012
10:52 am
Most in this blog do see the big picture. The Hawks will be just as good if not better than last year. Adding Horford over ZaZa instantly makes us a better team (how many layups did ZaZa miss last year at the buzzer – not to mention during games?). That upgrade alone will cancel out the loss of JJ to whomever takes his spot.
Marvin ended his career in Atlanta as a bench guy – with KH starting. This team will be better. JT will have a great year (as long as LD allows him to continue to develop) and Josh will avg 20 ppg.
GO HAWKS
KevinM
July 26th, 2012
11:10 am
Danny Ferry still has some work to do before training camp. I don’t see this as the final roster. It is okay and may be a playoff team, but if you’re not blowing it up, then there is no way you can be a serious threat with this roster. We would not win anymore playoff games than we have in recent years.
We need an elite player in here to solidify the inside game. For some reason, no one wants to play with their back to the basket if given the option.
We need guys who want to scrap and rebound, not guys who shoot face up jumpers.
We still have one more captain to move to complete my wish list for this offseason. My question is: if we can’t get D12 this year, can we now put a flyer out there to move Josh? I don’t want another year of LD and Josh shooting jumpers. That would defeat anything Danny has tried to accomplish this year. So if Josh is going to be our SF, then I wish for him to move on and we get a cheaper replacement. I see Josh getting up in the 15M range in salary going forward.
Is Zaza 100% again? Is Al 100% yet?
And we have LD making the PG decision on DH and JT….that can’t be good.
Hoops
July 26th, 2012
12:31 pm
Steve W,
I like your big and small line ups. It gives us some versatility. I really think that Ferry has some more moves coming after September 11 when the players we acquired in the Joe Johnson trade are available to be traded. I’m sure there is going to be a SF deal made. I sure would like to see the Hawks go after Iguodala.
Trade Josh and Petro to the 76′ers for Iguodala and Vucevic. That would give the Hawks this line up-
PG-Teague/Harris
SG-Williams/Jenkins/Morrow
SF-Iguodala/Korver/Stevenson
PF-Horford/I Johnson/Benson
C-Zaza/Vucevic/J Williams
I like that line up better. I don’t want to loose Josh, but getting Iguodals and Vucevic would be hard to turn down. The 76′ers would make that trade because they have a surplus at SF and they need a starting PF to take Brand’s place.
BillS
July 26th, 2012
1:04 pm
Thanks Kevin and Hoops and others who take the time to offer some good thoughts and opinions here. Shame on the rest of you who use this blog, as you abuse other blogs, to rant and whine and call others names. My hope is that soon these blogs will require real names/email addresses. Then some of the slobber will stop, I suspect.
geedeeuu
July 26th, 2012
1:10 pm
For the last time, we will not get Iguodala because Lou Williams dissed him in Philly. It is NOT going to happen.
Ray
July 26th, 2012
1:11 pm
People need to understand something here.
If you want Iggy here how is that going to happen if we have Lou Williams Huh?
IGGY AND LOU WILLIAMS DON’T LIKE EACH OTHER!
So obviously their not playing on the same team.
MsDee
July 26th, 2012
1:24 pm
So who is the BOSS/GM around here, Danny Ferry or Lou Williams?? Ferry’s duty is to bring those HE SEE FIT to join this team, NOT Lou Williams or anyone else for that matter, INCLUDING THE OWNERS!! (THX GOODNESS)
MsDee
July 26th, 2012
1:27 pm
And where did Lou say he doesn’t like Iggy?? Show some links/proofs
Buddy Grizzard
July 26th, 2012
1:45 pm
kw that hoopsworld link is good stuff. I said last offseason I would like to see hilton armstrong back. He’s not much of a basketball player but he’s a good athlete and it looks like his game may be improving. Keep track of Malcolm Thomas here:
http://hoopshype.com/rumors/tag/malcolm_thomas
“And we have LD making the PG decision on DH and JT….that can’t be good.”
It looks like Danny Ferry might make that decision for him:
http://repatl.blogspot.com/2012/07/teagues-team.html
Buddy G
July 26th, 2012
1:50 pm
kw that link was good stuff. I wanted to see Hilton Armstrong back last year. He’s athletic and his game may be coming along. Latest on Malcolm Thomas:
Marc J. Spears: Forward Malcolm Thomas, the only free agent on the All-Summer League team, getting solid interest primarily from ATL, CHA, CHI and LAC. Twitter Tuesday, July 24 2012
“And we have LD making the PG decision on DH and JT….that can’t be good.”
It looks like Danny Ferry might make that decision for him:
repatl.blogspot.com/2012/07/teagues-team.html
Buddy G
July 26th, 2012
1:52 pm
MsDee go here to see where Iggy told SI that LW “can’t guard anybody”:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1196889/2/index.htm
jlewis
July 26th, 2012
2:01 pm
The logic on here is all messed up. If you are a playoff team, what is the point of getting rid of some players, you wont draft in the lottery and most of the picks they received are lottery protected. Also, this has to be the final roster, if its not, who is out there to sign, most of the players left are scrubs.
People, this was not done to win, it was to dump salary and make a profit. They will have an automatic out when no players come to ATL, are you watching the migration of free agents, non are signing with the Hawks.
Walter R. Terrell
July 26th, 2012
2:36 pm
I have been a JOSH SMITH (get rid of the bum) for the past 3 years, but a new day is coming. I’m going to fall in line with Ferry’s vision and Josh is part of that vision. I truly hope he lives up to all that POTENTIAL.
cpsman_atlanta
July 26th, 2012
2:50 pm
Can he trade the owners away so that we can get hockey back at Philips Arena?
Court Vision | The Point Forward
July 26th, 2012
3:02 pm
[...] Danny Ferry with some candid words on the state of the Hawks team he inherited, and whether his continued remaking of that team might include a Josh Smith [...]
HAWKEYE
July 26th, 2012
3:05 pm
Is it just me or does the picture of ferry look like henry rollins?
one for all
July 26th, 2012
3:41 pm
The team Hawks have now with a dominant center who could score 20, rebound 15, and put the fear in opposing players around the rim would be championship caliber. Hawks are just missing big man. How is this line up Dom Center, Al, Josh, Morrow, Harris. Second Team Zaza, Ivan, Williams, Korver, Teague. Nice. Com’on Man or fans. We are one dominant center from title hopes.
one for all
July 26th, 2012
3:53 pm
Danny, draft Mason Plumlee next year please.
one for all
July 26th, 2012
3:57 pm
Oh by the way l am sorry left off Lou Williams. He should be 1st team SG. That is how good our personnel is looking. We are close in my humble opinion. From now on, we out draft teams and build from this team now and add stars from draft. Future is bright. Go GM Danny. Just do it baby.
one for all
July 26th, 2012
3:57 pm
Oh by the way l am sorry left off Lou Williams. He should be 1st team SG. That is how good our personnel is looking. We are close in my humble opinion. From now on, we out draft teams and build from this team now and add stars from draft. Future is bright. Go GM Danny. Just do it baby.
KevinM
July 26th, 2012
4:10 pm
Not sure about how close we are…..we are talking about DH as the starting PG and we’re going to get past he 2nd round? Doesnt sound right and we are talking about how versatile we are.
We’ve been versatile since Woody was the coach. We don’t need versatility. We need guys to excel at 2 things, offense and defense. We need to become a better starting 5.
Right now, our starting 5 is behind last year’s team.
We need to improve at SF and C in a big way.
LakeDawg
July 26th, 2012
5:03 pm
Has Larry Drew been notified of the Hawks new philosophy? Or is Ferry going to coach the team? BTW Smooove will never be the cornerstone of a championship team. Ferry needs to mooove him or all of his moves could be for naught.
Sautee
July 26th, 2012
6:58 pm
FYI – MC’s blog is back up.
Sautee
July 26th, 2012
6:59 pm
FYI – MC’s blog is back up
Marietta :D
July 26th, 2012
7:49 pm
Sounds like another 3 year plan in the works and I predict a new coach next year. The only problem is we may be too good for a lottery pick.
Jim Bob
July 26th, 2012
8:33 pm
And I was beginning to think Ferry was smart and then he starts saying he likes Smith.
Kansas Jayhawk
July 26th, 2012
8:39 pm
Need to get rid of ” Josh ” if anyone wants the Thug. He’s a cancer to the team.
steven a smith
July 26th, 2012
8:42 pm
Sign Greg Oden Please! He is the only guy that can bring to the table what D12 does(when he is healthy). Roll the dice Danny. “Low Risk-High Reward”
Hawthorne Wingo
July 27th, 2012
12:09 am
How long will it be before Hawks fans finally grasp in their walnut-sized heads the fact that Danny Ferry is the Human NBA Franchise Destroyer. He destroyed the Cavaliers twice, and now he’s come to Atlanta to destroy the Hawks. You just wait.
Hawks Want Smith In The Flock
July 27th, 2012
12:24 am
[...] so fast, Ferry tells Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “He’s a really good player,” Ferry said. “I love his ability to pass the ball. I love his [...]
SH Blog: Full NBA schedule released, Heat and Celtics headline season opener | Sports Book Gambling
July 27th, 2012
2:31 am
[...] Danny Ferry is not looking to trade Josh Smith, according to Jeff Schultz: “Smith, tired of being singled out for blame when things go wrong and yearning to compete for a championship, told the Hawks last year he wanted out. But much has changed since then. Ferry replaced Sund. He arrived with a “more objective view” of where the Hawks were. He was given autonomy to make needed changes. Ferry will tell you that he “didn’t come in looking to” trade Johnson, but the opportunity presented itself (and he pounced). But Smith is a different story. Ferry likes him — a lot. “He’s a really good player,” Ferry said. “I love his ability to pass the ball. I love his ability to make game-changing plays defensively. I love his competitiveness. If I was out there playing, I would want Josh on my team.” [...]
2 FOR JOHN DREW
July 27th, 2012
8:09 am
Oh how I miss the days when we could read Big Ray’s blog & when Sekou was here ….. I don’t want to be negative, but those guys brought it ….everyday !!! MC is ok, but he told us up front, he didn’t like the Hawks, this was just work to him. And this Chris V. dude, if he’s suppose to have MC’s back, well I’ve never seen a worst case of ” dropping the ball “, cause this dude has done jack ….ZILCH . Hey Chris V. let me invoke your indulgence……. CRICKETS, CRICKETS, CRICKETS
2 FOR JOHN DREW
July 27th, 2012
9:26 am
I do enjoy reading you ….. have for a long time thx !
2 FOR JOHN DREW
July 27th, 2012
9:27 am
JEFF …. THAT IS , sorry
Big Ray
July 27th, 2012
5:08 pm
Ferry has been a true breath of fresh air for the ATL Hawks.
I’m curious as to how he’ll play the roster towards the start of the season, though.
Glad Smith feels better about things and that Ferry has taken the time to get with his most talented player. I also like the stated ideas about how to play basketball with the existing personnel. Sund would have said “Uh, I dunno…I leave that up to the coach.”
Big Ray
July 27th, 2012
5:09 pm
2 FOR JOHN DREW ,
Thanks for the love, bro’….the fan blog days seem to be over, though.
Hugo
July 30th, 2012
12:07 pm
Until the Hawks get rid of Josh they can forget about Championship. Period.
srth
July 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
ferry needs glasses
pete b
July 30th, 2012
1:22 pm
untill smith can learn to play a mental game, his physical game will not improve. he needs a shrink
woody
July 30th, 2012
1:22 pm
fire ferry
The Atlanta Hawks Bright Future « basketballislove
August 3rd, 2012
2:27 am
[...] how will all of these new players mesh on a team with a surplus of talented guards. Lucky for us Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal Constitution found himself asking none other than Danny Ferry the same thing. Ferry replied,“The ball will be [...]
The Atlanta Hawks Bright Future. « basketballislove
August 3rd, 2012
2:35 am
[...] how will all of these new players mesh on a team with a surplus of talented guards. Lucky for us Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal Constitution found himself asking none other than Danny Ferry the same thing. Ferry replied,“The ball will be [...]