The Josh Smith trade rumors: I’m not buying any of them – yet
Once and future teammates? Not so fast, my friend. (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
The volume on the Josh Smith trade rumors has been cranked up to 11 — “Spinal Tap” joke — and somebody needs to dial it down. I nominate … myself.
It has been reported that the Hawks are gauging interest in Smith ahead of tonight’s NBA draft, which only makes sense. It has also been reported that Smith wants out of Atlanta, which I’m not sure is the case, and has even submitted a list of teams he wouldn’t mind joining. (The list, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, includes Boston, Houston, Orlando and New Jersey.)
Smoove-related speculation has been running the highest in Orlando, where Smith’s best friend (meaning Dwight Howard) plays, and Boston. Ken Berger of CBS Sports reports that discussions between the Hawks and the Magic are “totally legit.” But now we ask: Other than Howard himself, who among Magic men would the Hawks want?
Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel notes that, not counting Howard, Orlando really has only “four tradable assets” — Jameer Nelson, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson and J.J. Redick. If the Hawks trade Smith for any combination of those, Rick Sund is nuts. And whatever else you might think of the Hawks’ general manager, he gives the impression of being a pillar of sanity.
And there’s no way the Magic are trying to deal Howard for Smith. It’s way too early for that. At this stage Orlando GM Otis Smith is seeking to assuage his big man’s doubts that his team is serious about winning a title, and what better way to placate Howard than to add his old Atlanta Celtics wingman?
As for Boston: A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE reports that the Celtics have had “no discussions” with the Hawks. Again, it’s hard to find a trade match for Smith on that roster. Kevin Garnett is scheduled to make $21 million next season, or roughly $9 million more than Smith will. As Blakely writes, Ray Allen is only under contract for one more year at $10 million and might be seen as a replacement for Jamal Crawford, who’s apt to leave as a free agent. But do you want to swap a 25-year-old power forward for a 35-year-old shooting guard?
The belief here is that the Hawks will have a tougher time than many think finding a trade match for Smith. He’s far too gifted to give away, but his excesses have become so well known that a good team isn’t apt to disrupt its rotation to make room for him.
This isn’t to say a trade can’t happen. It very well could. (It has been suggested that a third team might be needed to make a deal with the Magic work.) I’d be surprised if it happens today or this month, though.
By Mark Bradley
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160 comments Add your comment
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:24 am
Josh Smith is a loser. Pure loser. Can’t win with guys like him.
CO_Braves
June 23rd, 2011
9:24 am
First!
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:25 am
@CO_Braves, first loser
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
9:26 am
Be gracious, me. There’s no call for smack talk over the coveted kudos.
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:30 am
Lets talk Josh Smith Mark. He came to Atlanta and was labeled as “the biggest bust of the draft” according to Jay Bilas when he was selected. Ok, we all knew Josh wasn’t very mature coming out of Oak Hill. He had been told how great he was since the 8th grade. Work ethic = zero. Then he comes to the NBA and he is given a pass since he came straight from high school. He were are, how many years removed from high school and he still isn’t mature and is mentally weak. Walking down the floor, complaining to the refs, and lord knows the problems he was for Woody. I think the Hawks gave him a chance with Drew and Drew can’t get through to him either. Josh Smith is a sad, sad story, IMO.
CO_Braves
June 23rd, 2011
9:32 am
I’ll have to settle for silver today. Anyways, if the Hawks trade Smith they better get something worth of value and not do it just as a cost cutting measure. Actually what am I thinking, they will do the shrewd thing and probably do just that.
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:34 am
What about Marvin “I can hardly walk because my butt is so big” Williams? He doesn’t help this team.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
9:34 am
Actually, what Jay Bilas said was that Josh Smith had the potential to be the biggest bust of the 2004 draft — which made no sense. It wasn’t as if he’d been taken in the lottery. He went 17th overall.
Sportsfan
June 23rd, 2011
9:34 am
A man should know his limitations. And Stevie Wonder can see that Josh Smith can’t shoot.
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:36 am
@Bradley I think Bilas saw the arrogance and lack of maturity in Josh Smith and voiced his frustration through his opinion.
Jamaaliver
June 23rd, 2011
9:37 am
I agree it’s time for j-Smoove to move on, but I acknowledge that under a more seasoned coach he’ll probably be extremely successful.
I just hope we get someone who can get us to the next level.
Pau Gasol anyone?
Chpatt
June 23rd, 2011
9:39 am
This CRAZY rumor was called in to an Orlando radio station. And they actually believed it to be a real deal without any confirmation. A fan called in this wannabe trade.
Hawks, Magic, TrailBlazers:
Magic get Josh Smith and Kirk Hinrich
Hawks get Ryan Anderson, Andre Miller and Marcus Camby
Portland gets Jameer Nelson
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
9:39 am
Mark ,
I agree completely. There could be a three team trade, but we’ll see. It’s really not about Sund. It’s about Gearon. He is covetous of the talent he has, too much so in many cases (Joe Johnson contract), and doesn’t understand addition by subtraction, or that the Hawks really need some culture tweaking.
Again, we shall see. The only trade I’d guarantee any Hawks fan is a trade of a draft pick if the Hawks see a way to make some cash out of it, LOL….
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:39 am
@Jamaaliver Do you honestly think the Lakers would trade Pau Gasol for Josh Smith? I mean really!? I think trading Josh Smith for 12 brand new basketballs would be sufficient.
Lowcountry Bulldawg
June 23rd, 2011
9:41 am
Sund has the dangerous job of shopping a guy who probably has as much pure talent as anyone in the NBA. Smith can essentially do it all. The problem is he just cant put it all together consistently. Sund cannot move Smith and simply get back parts. He can only move him for elite talent because no matter what we as fans think, Smith is an elite player.
slydog
June 23rd, 2011
9:42 am
Bottom line: Josh Smith was a hometown experiment that did not work. In some cases it does (Derrick Rose). But at least Rose left home for a year and had a chance to mature some on his own. Furthermore, when dealing with maturity issues, strong personalities rule. Woodson and Drew do not possess these qualities; maybe towards their own children but not professional players. Even Van Gundy sits Dwight Howard if he does not fit in certain scenarios. Not here. He will do better either with a franchise with a history of winning, (Spurs, Celtics, Lakers, Bulls) or a strong willed coach (the same coaches from those teams). This whole mess is Billy Knight’s fault by the way for putting together a street ball team
coloradobulldog
June 23rd, 2011
9:43 am
I think they would be stupid to trade J-Smove. He’s still young and just needs someone to show him tape of the Bulls game where we dominated in the paint. Instead I wish we could move the albatross contact of Johnson and get rid of Marvin.
dap01
June 23rd, 2011
9:43 am
In Josh’s defense, his only coaches since high school has been Woody and LD. Now that is sad. If we had decent coaching, non of this conversation would be happening. If we had even decent GM leadership, non of this conversation would be happening.
This whole rebuilding has been worse than horrible. If every draft pick had worked out and been great, we still would have an unbalance and disfuntional team. Think about that.
Right now, the Hawks are destined to be average until we pay JJ and start ALL over.
me
June 23rd, 2011
9:43 am
Elite player? Who are you kidding? Elite players show up night in and night out. Elite players make All-Star teams, not the dunk contest. Elite players play for Conference championships and NBA championships, not just make the playoffs. The 76ers made the playoffs and they are trash. Elite player, COME ON MAN <Monday Night Countdown Voice
slydog
June 23rd, 2011
9:44 am
after a change of scenery or environment, everyone, including a lazy bum, has a moment of reflection.
Bill
June 23rd, 2011
9:45 am
Maybe if the Hawks had drafted Chris Paul when the had the chance,Mark’s blog would have been about the Braves or the lockout.
Sanjeev
June 23rd, 2011
9:47 am
@coloradobulldog: the problem is Josh is incredible in the paint yet continues to chuck up bricks from the 3 point line.
slydog
June 23rd, 2011
9:48 am
he will do better with franchises with a history of winning and strong coaching personalities (Spurs, Lakers, Celtics, Bulls). Woodson and Drew were rookie coaches trying to teach a high schooler about being a professional basketball player. That is not a good recipe. Say what you want aout one and done’s, it gives the young men a chance to get away from home, mature some, learn how to take critical coaching / teaching, and practice dealing with chicks and the media BEFORE you get the money.
slydog
June 23rd, 2011
9:49 am
This is not J Smooth’s fault. This is all on Billy Knight for trying to put together a Street Ball team instead of a professional basket ball team.
nash
June 23rd, 2011
9:50 am
People that man is the best player on the team. We can all say that it comes in spurts or that he is inconsistent but what player on the team is the exception to that label Al Horford (hardly), Joe Johnson(see Al), Jamal(streak shooter) or, maybe Zaza who plays in a cement suit. The point is that Kobe is labelled as a head case while Lebron is also called a mental midget. Every player in this league has one issue or another and, I honestly believe that Josh Smith is not the problem with this team but, the embodiment of what this team is collectively.
gooch
June 23rd, 2011
9:51 am
im not buying what you are selling NBA blows
ATL born and raised
June 23rd, 2011
9:51 am
Either the Hawks need to move him or we as fans/media need to embrace him. If Smith is an elite player, then we need to treat him with more respect. Sure, we can be upset with him at times, but a lot of his image has to do with how Bradley and the media talk about him. Let’s face it, beating the Heat, Bulls, Mavs, or Thunder is a very difficult challenge. The Hawks have a great team, but to be at the top tier of the league is likely not attainable. Expect more wins than losses and go have fun at the highlight factory, especially when Smooth throws one down!
BobWeiss
June 23rd, 2011
9:54 am
The Hawks shouldn’t mess with this team. This team is at the stage that the Hawks team of Steve Smith, Blaylock, Mutumbo, Laetner, etc were at in the early 90’s. We had a very respectable team that would win 50 games and make the the playoffs. The GM at the time decided to break that team up in hopes of assembling something better. It resulted in a decade of misery.
My fear is Mr. Sund might do the same with this team. Sure, this team isn’t complete and doesn’t necessarily look capable of ever reaching the NBA finals. However, people thought the same about the Dallas Mavericks the past 3 years. If nothing else, keep this team together and let the fans enjoy a few more years of playoff basketball. Being a losing team in the playoffs is far more entertaining than being a losing team in the regular season. Hopefully, Mr. Sund won’t trade any of the core players.
Jack McKeon
June 23rd, 2011
9:54 am
Holy smokes! I’m now 80 years old, should be fishing, so why am I back coaching? Am I going senile or have I gone nuts? This team is 14 back and bad, real bad—worse that the Mets and even the Nats. Manley’s a pain in the rear. The owner’s a head case.
Now where are my pills?
Jamaaliver
June 23rd, 2011
9:55 am
Me, as poorly as Pau played in the playoffs. And with all the behind the scenes drama with Pau and the Kobe family (check the rumor mill if you’re out of the loop) I think the Lakers would JUMP at the tought of trading for a 25 y/o defensive minded PF.Josh playing next to their 7-foot center (Bynum) and their defensive minded SF (Artest) would fit in with their new emphasis on defense that Mike Brown will be bringing to LA.
Plus, Odom, Bynum, Artest and Smith still gives you the most diverse front line in all of basketball.
They get younger, tougher (always a mark against Pau) and get more salary cap room since we can expect a hard cap after the NBA lockout.
And Kobe will keep Josh under thumb. No taking plays off on HIS team.
And we get an actual 7-footer with a post game.
chuckw/deadjournalist
June 23rd, 2011
9:55 am
Of the “preferred” teams on the purported Smoove trade list, the only one would fill an obvious need would be a deal with the Nets for Lopez. The problem is their salaries come nowhere near matching up. Unless a third team was involved, NJ doesn’t have the expiring contracts needed to make it work. Because we all know ATL isn’t taking on dollars ..
Matty Ice
June 23rd, 2011
9:56 am
I say we trade Josh Smith for LeBron James. They don’t want him in South Beach anymore.
Ga_Native
June 23rd, 2011
9:58 am
SHAME ON THIS CITY FOR MAKING JOSH SMITH THE SCAPEGOAT! Joe Johnson is the reason this team can only go so far. We are handicapped by his ASTROGANTIC contract and even further by his inferior play in the postseason.
Secondly, we bought further mediocrity by hiring a coach who was on the former mediocre coach’s staff.
Further, we refuse to get a real point guard. When Bibby gave us glimpses of real point guard play a few years ago, we started making the playoffs. Unfortunately, our team goal doesn’t extend far beyond making the playoffs.
Lastly, JOSH SMITH IS ONE OF THE FEW REAL BALLERS on this Hawks squad. By trading him what would we accomplish? Sure his 3 pointers drive you insane but they are more than made up for in DEFENSIVE INTENSITY!
Where’s a real solution? I’m about thisclose to abandoning the Hawks!
Reggie
June 23rd, 2011
9:58 am
IF THE HAWKS TRADE JOSH AND DNT GET DWIGHT IN RETURN, IM NOT GETN ANYMORE SEASON TICKETS! HOW MANY PLAYERS CAN DOMINATE A GAME W/O SCORING? FANS HAVE BECOME WAY TOO OBSESSED WITH OFFENSIVE STATS. I MEAN JOSH HASN’T HAD A GREAT COACH NOR POINT GUARD, NOT TO MENTION PLAYING OUTTA POSITION! HE DOES NEED TO WRK ON HIS HANDLE AND SHOOTING! HE CARES MORE THAN THE OTHER HAWKS! WHERE WAS AL AND JOE DC DURING THE CLUTCH? ALLSTARS????? GET OFF SMOOVE!!!
me
June 23rd, 2011
10:01 am
@Reggie its not message board friendly to use all caps, thanks.
Dan
June 23rd, 2011
10:05 am
I like your post yesterday with Howard coming here and Al Horford going to Orlando. Reason being Howard would sell tickets here and Horford since he played for the Gators would still have ties to the state of FLA for the fans there.
Orlando is this case doesn’t have the cards in their hand. All they have is the Ace Howard and he is already admitted that he is ready to fold and so from Orlando’s prospective they need to get something and what better than an all-star center that is also young. There have been rumors about the Lakers and Bynum and why would the Magic want him if he is always hurt? How is Bynum going to sell tickets to regular season games if he is sitting on the end of the bench wearing a suit? Of course Atlanta may have to add other assets to equal the salaries Hinrich or Marvin which they would probably take Marvin since he is also young and can still develop. The ttrade would be good for both teams again because Orlando should get something of value instead of holding the bag at the end of next year season.
dap01
June 23rd, 2011
10:06 am
This is off the subject but the king Lebron did some serious choking in the finals, on a couple of possessions, he acted like he had never dribbled or shot in his LIFE.
That scared and lost look in his eyes was priceless.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
10:07 am
Thanks, Dan. But I think the Magic will try everything to build around Dwight Howard before they trade him.
(That said, if they are going to trade him, what better replacement than Al Horford?)
HawkKingBibby
June 23rd, 2011
10:07 am
Mark, I think some members of the media overblew the 3 or 4 jump shots Smoove took a game in the playoffs. They completely overlooked how hard he played, how many times he drove to the basket with reckless abandon and got to the free throw line. Smoove played his heart out in these playoffs. I wish we got the same effort from Al Horford down low that we did from Smoove. Your right Sund would be nuts to give him away.
Rattler4life000
June 23rd, 2011
10:07 am
I totally agree with Ga_ Native, This would one of the most ridiculous moves this franchise could do. Josh is the most talented player on this team, he’s the most identifiable player on this team and the most intense player. If you thought we were so soft before, let Josh go watch us get dominated night in and night out inside. the worst player in the Chicago series were was Mr. Horford and we talk bout trading Josh. Soft team, Soft so called fans. let’s get so more choir boys to get punked like we Al did inthe playoffs
TheRealMrGreen
June 23rd, 2011
10:12 am
Hawks will be dumb (typical of the org) to trade Josh for anything less than an All Star player, preferably a true Center. Josh is a nut case, but who in the league has his skill set, and can impact a game of both ends of the court (good or bad lol) like Josh?
david
June 23rd, 2011
10:15 am
Hawks are not going to do anything. We are going to “suck” next year just like every year. Not terrible but we are just so freakin predictable and boring that they “suck” and too ignorant to sign Crawford (maybe our best player) back up. Drew can’t do anything with this team but he is our coach for years probably. JS has never been coached, held accountable, never EVER. He needs to go to a coach that will teach him how to play basketball. When he pouts or act childish take him out and let him watch, even if it’s for 5 games, etc.. TRAIN him, COACH him, TEACH him. SOMEBODY could make him a badass around the bucket but not Woody or any of his pups. Horford is getting bored, Joe has been bored for a couple years. When they FINALLY fired Woody and then hired his asst., One of the dumbest moves on planet earth. They keeping drafting small shooting guards and think since they are small they are point guards. We need a POINT guard. A floor coach. A leader on the court. PASS FIRST SHOOT second point guard. Did I mention a big man that WANTS to rebound and smart enough to set picks and throw great outlet passes. He doesn’t even have to score except for easy stuff from hustling and being smart. WE need a brain SOMEWHERE in this organization. I love Joe but paying him a trillion dollars at 12:01 on the first day of signing crippled us for a few years and made the city unfairly not like him. A BRAIN please.
lewis
June 23rd, 2011
10:17 am
yall are not very intelligent. we’re lucky to have Josh Smith at this point. Did you guys not watch the playoffs?
ASG = JERKS
June 23rd, 2011
10:18 am
Idiot Chelleni on 790 the Zone says he thinks about the Hawks getting LeBron and dealing Josh Smith. He was talking about it again today. The guy has the brain the size of a pea. No wonder he is on talk radio and not doing anything important.
chuck
June 23rd, 2011
10:24 am
Horford should be untouchable. He plays the same position as Smith. Therefore trade Smith. I agree we should give him away because if he goes to a team with STRONG veteran leadership, the players will take care of Josh when he starts thinking he can shoot from over 5 feet away from the basket.
hmmmmm
June 23rd, 2011
10:25 am
Josh will continue to mature as he has up to this point. He is still young and will be better next year.
2 years from now he will be a beast.
ASG = JERKS
June 23rd, 2011
10:25 am
Sounds like Hawks fans need a pep talk from Bruce Levinson. It would go something like this:
“Ticket prices are going up. We plan on giving Joe Johnson more money. DEAL WITH IT.”
steve brown
June 23rd, 2011
10:32 am
Josh Smith is an unwatchable player. Boycott the Hawks until they are sold!!
superiorblogman
June 23rd, 2011
10:35 am
Said it a million times. Josh Smith, Marvin Williams and Zaza for Monta Ellis, Biedrins and Dorell Wright or Monta Ellis, Biedrins, and a pick is the probably the best you will get if you look for something comparable in talent.
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=6lynv5a
Curious George
June 23rd, 2011
10:37 am
Can we please trade the Hawks (& The Atlanta Spirit Group) to Winnipeg to get back our beloved THRASHERS?
superiorblogman
June 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
A sleeper deal that we probably do not have the sense to orchestrate is below:
Hawks get Bogut and 4.3 million trade exception from Phoenix
Phoenix gets Josh Smith and Zaza
Bucks get Gortat and Pietrus
http://games.espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=5sy6usv
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
10:38 am
@hmmmm – It’s always that Smith is gonna be good in (insert #) of years. Are we gonna wait forever to realize he’s not going to put it all together? I don’t want to give him away for other teams’ garbage, but just because he can jump and dunk doesn’t make him a winner. A 25 year old with 7 years in the league shouldn’t be dependent on a coach at this point. He ought to figure out for himself what his strong suits are and play to them. Standing at the three point line and chunking up bricks aint it. As for you folks that talk about his playing hard and defensive intensity, how do you explain those occasions when he doesn’t even bother to run down court on defense? The guy just doesn’t get it. What a waste of talent.
PnottHead
June 23rd, 2011
10:39 am
Its pie in the sky, but a Horford (and any ancillary player) for Howard would the shot in the arm the Hawks need. Problem is the Magic will not trade him in the same division to face him four times a year. I’ve never heard Howard speak “warmly” about Atlanta, he does not say “I loved the Hawks growing up” or “It has been my dream to play in my hometown”. Being a homer myself i think we have a few assets in our favor, his buddy Josh is here, and he could come here and be the “Man” instantly because JJ certainly does not want to wear that title. And we would instantly compete with Miami, Chicago and NY for the East. Him going to LA is so “been there, done that” and I feel he could make just as much endorsement $$ here as anywhere because we live in such a technologically connected world. If he were to get the Hawks to the finals (with a lineup of Howard,Smith,JJ,Marvin,Teague) I think it could happen. But at the end of the day just dont trade Horford or JS for spare parts.
teamguy
June 23rd, 2011
10:39 am
We would know a lot more about Josh Smith’s ability as a basketball player if he had a real basketball coach, which he hasn’t had to present. If his work ethic is so bad, discipline lacking as reported, attitude negative, a real coach would fix that over time. He’s the best, most gifted player on this team. .no one else is close, not even Horford.
you
June 23rd, 2011
10:40 am
I think “me” needs a hug…
Michael "Crocodile Tears" Gearon, Jr.
June 23rd, 2011
10:41 am
Hey, Hawks fans. Keep this under your hat, but we’ve already agreed to trade Josh Smith to the Lakers for Kobe Bryant, who has decided to take his talents to South Fulton. With our new core of Marvin Williams, Hilton Armstrong, and Etan Thomas, with Kobe as a dominant 6th man, we expect to raise a few banners in the coming years.
1-800-HAWKS-TIX
Remarkable
June 23rd, 2011
10:41 am
Trade Al Horford for Dwight Howard? Great Idea! Throw in Marvin Williams and this could work. Heck, give them a draft pick too, just make it a No. 1 for a No. 2. If they can sign aging Jamal Crawford and throw him into the mix it would make Orlando think they got a great deal.
MistaGamer
June 23rd, 2011
10:42 am
Question: If Josh was hoisting up bricks from 3 pt land, what was our $120M+ “max-player, superstar” doing then?
PLZ
June 23rd, 2011
10:44 am
I want any combo of this to happen. Trade to CHI, for Noah, Deng and whoever else for JJ and Marvin. Turnaround and trad Noah and Horford to Orlando for Howard.
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
10:46 am
@MistaGamer – You expect your SG to shoot 3s. You don’t expect your PF hoist up 3s. You expect him to play down in the low post, and rebound. JJ surely is not a superstar and I wish we could unload him but criticising someone else still doesn’t change the fact that Smith is a huge waste of talent.
Mike R.
June 23rd, 2011
10:49 am
If Josh improved his handle, shot and decision-making he’d be LeBron with an attitude. Yes, it’s a lot and he’ll likely never get there. But still, you don’t trade that away that much talent on things that are coachable. You just take the time to find the right coach.
Wayne
June 23rd, 2011
10:56 am
J. Mcgee and one of their firsts (6/18) for J. Smith…heck maybe we could even get Jordan Crawford back
J-nonSmooth
June 23rd, 2011
11:07 am
Josh Smith is half of a Tracy McGrady…and Tracy McGrady couldn’t help the Raptors or the Rockets win. Same brand of ball, same cancer to their teams….lose him…I’d pay Josh Smith to leave…
ryan
June 23rd, 2011
11:07 am
Yea a lot people seem to like this trade idea of Al Horford and JJ and maybe throw in Marvin Williams for Howard and Gilbert Arneas .
mountain_jim
June 23rd, 2011
11:08 am
I have no faith in Sund getting good enough value for a trade of Smith.
I know for me personally the team would be a lot less exciting to watch without him, as the ’star’ is a total snooze and no one else except maybe Teague (who they sit on the bench) brings the excitement that puts folks in the seats.
I hope they find a way to trade Marvin and Hinritch for a C instead.
J-nonSmooth
June 23rd, 2011
11:09 am
My bad – I meant Magic or Rockets….Raptors was with Vincanity
stevie zero
June 23rd, 2011
11:10 am
call me hungover but…. could adding a howard make joe johnson the threat/star weve been waiting for??
Remarkable
June 23rd, 2011
11:10 am
PLZ I want any combo of this to happen. Trade to CHI, for Noah, Deng and whoever else for JJ and Marvin. Turnaround and trad Noah and Horford to Orlando for Howard.
That might work if we hadn’t signed JJ to the worst contract in the NBA.
Remarkable
June 23rd, 2011
11:13 am
ryan Yea a lot people seem to like this trade idea of Al Horford and JJ and maybe throw in Marvin Williams for Howard and Gilbert Arneas .
Who would like that in Atlanta? Besides once again, JJ can’t be traded because of his outrageous contract. Try again.
mountain_jim
June 23rd, 2011
11:13 am
If the Hawks had hired a coach with a backbone and some credibility in Josh’s career things could have been much different. Woody was clueless and Drew is spineless.
Common Sense
June 23rd, 2011
11:14 am
Im gonna throw out a deal that probably wont happen but Josh Smith and a salary cap filler for Oden and Batum, Smith could play the three with aldridge at the four and camby at the 5. Not to mention Hawks could move marvin to the bench play Batum at the 3 and insert a risky but solid player when healthy at the 5 with Oden.
teague
JJ
Batum
Horford
Oden
I like it
Trading Horford is the answer
June 23rd, 2011
11:20 am
Mark Bradley, you would actually consider trading Al Horford. Wow, I’m stunned.
I really think it’s unfair that Josh Smith gets so much crap from the media. Whether you like it or not, there is no other player on the Hawks roster that makes the team go like he does. What’s even more unfair is that even with his overwhelming 2 three point attempts a game (granted he doesn’t hit them), he still was ther most effective scorer (his stats don’t lie). As much crap he takes for taking 3 points, I feel Horford should get the same amount of heat for not having a post game. Especially since he and his daddy want to cry about him playing center (although he was an All-Star center). Trading away Josh Smith’s production only make sense if the Hawks are trying to become a lottery team.
Chris
June 23rd, 2011
11:22 am
Josh Smith is the best player on the Hawks. He is the entire defense and has the most talent. Trading for anything less than equal value would be stupid. Why can’t they come up with a trade packaging Marvin Williams and Kirk Hinrich’s expiring contract, maybe for a big man that plays defense, a la Kendrick Perkins.
ROD
June 23rd, 2011
11:28 am
PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, Trade him. He doesn’t have a jump shot. He plays hard every now and then. He doesn’t have an inside game. It doesn’t seem he has made his game better. So yes, I would trade him tonight. We’ve seen enough of his antics. It’s time to bring the big fellow in here, Dwight Howard, and build around him. I will take Jameer or Redick. At least they can shoot. Please Rick, make this trade happen. We’ve seen enough of these guys together.
BigTimeTechFan
June 23rd, 2011
11:30 am
I would love to see Josh Smith play for a good coach, wish it was in Atlanta, but that does not look like it’s going to happen unless he can go to collage and play for Coach Gregory.
MJC
June 23rd, 2011
11:36 am
I think it’s funny that people really think either Smoove or Horford are the problem with the team.
Do you really not see Crawford and JJ holding on the ball for so long, dribbling all over the place to no avail, then hoping for a teammate to bail them out with the shot clock waning?
I’m going to be honest here; if the Hawks properly learned to move the ball for the entirety of the game, we would be a contender. However, we insist on slowing the ball up and let one person try to take on five for half the game.
In my opinion, Smith and Horford should be untouchable, with the only exception being a Horford for Howard deal. If the CBA stays relatively the same, I would let Crawford walk, then try to sign another back-up guard like Afflalo, McGrady or Battier to fill up a backcourt rotation of Teague/Hinrich/JJ/4th guard. Try to get rid of Marvin, but if not, put him on the bench and let Smoove play the 3, Horford at the 4, and Collins/Zaza at the 5. (Maybe trade for Dalembert?) Full roster would be something like this:
Teague/Hinrich
JJ/4th guard
Smoove/4th guard if McGrady/Wilkins/Sy
Horford/Smoove
Dalembert?/Collins/Zaza/
AB
June 23rd, 2011
11:37 am
The Josh Smith bashing has got to stop. You can’t name many other power forwards in the league that give you 16 pts, 8 rebs, and 2 blocks a game. I think the biggest issue is that people can see how good he can potentially be and it frustrates them that he is not living up to that potential, but Josh still produces more that 90% of the PF’s in the NBA. Josh is as good or better than (maybe not as smart as) Bosh and Boozer, but both of those players have reached their ceiling. Josh can still get much better.
MistaGamer
June 23rd, 2011
11:44 am
@Holy Cow
You miss the point. If Josh was doing nothing but hoisting up bricks from 3pt land as many have said (although the actual volumn rate at which he shot 3s was 1 in every 25 min of play), then what would you call what Joe did, since Josh shot a better 3pt% than Joe?
The point is people seem to have no sense of relativity when it comes to Josh at all. You say Josh is a huge waste of talent? Well, if he is arguably, consistently the best talent on the floor, then what does that make the rest of our team?
Back to the point, people seem to have no sense of relativity when it comes to Josh. People seem to think that Josh is what is wrong with this team. The real problem with this team is elsewhere, but it’s almost ridiculous to the level at which people either want to look the other way or simply wish it weren’t so.
Josh has become the easiest most convenient target.
example: why wasn’t there any grumblings whatsoever when Horford, who is supposed to be a “true All-Star PF” couldn’t do a damn thing against a gimpy, turf-toe Boozer offensively or defensively? BTW, I am not saying that Horford is what is wrong with this team. I think Horford is a better mismatch and player as C than he is a PF and all his stats prove that (but, thats another discussion for another day).
Dr. Dave
June 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
We should not have any trade discussions with the Lakers or Celtics, as neither one has anything of value that they would give us.
Marvin will become a better player, and the player we thought we’d get when drafted him, now that he has had back surgery. It was not a coincidence that he was walking funny the past couple of years.
How about trading Josh and Teague to get Kyrie Irving? Or am I dreaming.
The fact that the AJC would even print an article about the Hawks 2nd round pick is a joke.
PMC
June 23rd, 2011
11:57 am
Um, JJ Reddick is not a tradeable asset. He’s a spot up jump shooter who only has a career in the NBA because Dwight Howard plays on his team. They basically run the Duke offense.
PMC
June 23rd, 2011
12:02 pm
Josh Smith has been an absolute steal at 17 in the draft compared to the other overpaid bums on this team. Are we kidding our selves here?
Marvin Williams – Terrible Pick
Shelden Williams – Terrible Pick
Josh Childress – left for GREECE!! Terrible Pick due to a terribly flawed Idea of how to build a team.
etc etc etc.
ChicagoBrave
June 23rd, 2011
12:13 pm
MistaGamer- Joe is a shooter, has been since he was at Arkansas. He’s paid to shoot. Josh has NEVER had an outside shot…yet still insisted on taking half of shots from beyond 10 ft. against the Bulls?
There’s certainly no arguing the amount of talent in Josh Smith. But when that talent is displayed inconsistently, what good is it to the team? How much “talent” did he display when he was throwing temper tantrums after no-calls, slumping his shoulders, and jogging up the floor in transition? If the Hawks want to shed their AAU image, then moving Smith is the first step in that process.
He’s really the only tradable asset this team has right now (Marvin isn’t going anywhere until his contract is up) and the returns they get could help transition this team to an organized, potent threat.
ChicagoBrave
June 23rd, 2011
12:15 pm
PMC– Not only did we draft those clown shoes….in the process we passed on CP3, Deron Williams (for Marvin) and Brandon Roy (for Shelden…by the way has anyone else noticed how far apart his eyes are from each other?? it’s crazy)
nobody
June 23rd, 2011
12:16 pm
Id go ask The Twolves if we could have Anthony Randolph and the#2 pick for Smith. Thatd be a steal for the hawks in my opinion.
Jim
June 23rd, 2011
12:16 pm
This is the one year the hawks should do nothing–it looks to me that they finally found a quick point to run the offense for all these “athletes’ that Knight drafted so why change it now? Let Crawford go, let Teague run the show, keep Heinrick, and go find a serviceable center good for 30 minutes a night and see what happens. If this doesn’t work then tear it up next year after the CBA has been settled.
Playmakers!!
June 23rd, 2011
12:20 pm
Can we trade the Coach as well?
nobody
June 23rd, 2011
12:21 pm
Ideally Id like to see Smith go to the 76ers along with Marvin and a future 1st for Igoudala and Speights/Hawes. That way the 76ers get a backup SF for Turner, a potential star, and a 1st and we get a bonafide SF as well as another solid bigman
nobody
June 23rd, 2011
12:23 pm
Or instead of a bigman I would love to see the Hawks bring Lou Williams back home
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
12:27 pm
“Look at these rumors, around me every day, I wish sometimes that I just get away”
First of all, I am so thinking that all of this was done by the media or something like that. Let be honest if they did traded Smith and doesnt get anything back, they will be losing more money than Thrashers was(we all remember what happen to them). ASG should just cost their losses and sell the team quickly.
For Josh Smith, he is like a rare 5-tool player when he is focus in the game. I dont see any trade value that is going to help this team out, only team may have that is Nets and they know that if they get Josh, then they will have Dwight next year. I say, keep Josh and Trade Al, Joe, Marvin and S&T Craw.
59bulldawg
June 23rd, 2011
12:27 pm
OK I still have a bit of feeling for the Hawks because I grew up in Georgia and used to follow them. But not so much any more. I still try to follow the score when I can and maybe even watch a game or two here and there. Or even read a story here on the AJC. But can somebody please tell me how they can look like world beaters one night and then lose by 20 or more the next . . . and it happen not once but numerous times during the season. Is it coaching? Is it Smith? Is it somebody or something else? A few years back when they took the Celtics to 7 games before losing, it looked liked the team’s trajectory was on the rise. Now it seems to have flattened out or gone down after this season. What’s up with that?
dap01
June 23rd, 2011
12:27 pm
David Stern: “The Hawks have made a trade, They have traded Josh Smith to The Timberwolves for a midlevel trade exemption. They have also selected Octner Hibrub fro the Ukraine with the #48 pick.”
Ocner Hibrub was not scouted by anyone and really has been playing basketball since February. He would not have been drafted by any other team but the Hawks are hoping that he is a diamond in the rough.
In other news, the Hawks have fired all of the assistants on the staff and replaced them with a couple of out of work construction guys. The moves were made in an effort to save money.
Yeahsure
June 23rd, 2011
12:32 pm
Why is Horford considered “Untouchable?”. He was basically invisible during the playoffs. Joe and Josh each had a standout game.
BTW, Dwight is not coming here. No star is coming here this year. We have to accept that and move on.
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
12:33 pm
al horford,zaza, and kirk for howard and chris duhon
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
12:35 pm
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=65v5xzx
Farnsworthy
June 23rd, 2011
12:42 pm
I see where North Carolina’s football program has also joined that depressingly long list of cheaters.
James
June 23rd, 2011
12:42 pm
@ All of the Josh Smith haters..None of you can propose any type trade involving Josh that makes an once of sense.None you even have a valid reason for trading him other than the fact that he’s a “loser”. Without him the Hawks dont make it to the second round of the playoffs people! If he’s so bad why does Dwight Howard want him in Orlando? I heard Al Horford say in an interview a couple of weeks ago the the team needs a legitimate”center” which will alow him to play his natual positon.They also need to be rid of Joe Johnson’s contract which nobody wants.Mark I do question Rick Sund’s sanity regarding this contract.You award a player a max contract and a year later there are no takers for him.Insane! If Miami put Lebron James on the trading block tonight there would be teams lined up to take his contract and his “talents” yet he makes less than Joe Johnson.Insane!
Bigdawg
June 23rd, 2011
12:43 pm
I’d trade J-Smoo for a $50 Varsity gift card!
Farnsworthy
June 23rd, 2011
12:49 pm
Love college basketball, but don’t care about the NBA. Sell the Hawks to Winnipeg too.
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
12:50 pm
Ok, here we go. Only way to make this trade work is if the Hawks give up one of their crappy players with huge salaries to go along with Smith, i.e. Pachulia/ Marvin. So either trade Marvin or Pachulia along with Smith and we can settle for let’s say a decent big man and a decent swingman prospect and maybe some draft picks. Whether the team likes it or not, we are in a rebuilding phase. We can not win with this starting rotation, and since Jamal is not coming back, we need a true swingman to bolster the offense, and we also need more youth on the bench. Hawks will need to offload of Smith and either Marvin or Pachulia and trade for a young swingman/ center and some draft picks if this deal should go through.
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
12:52 pm
JJM, Magic won’t trade away Howard in order to get Smith… the only reason they want Smith is to keep Howard happy and to keep him in Orlando
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
12:53 pm
Oops, sorry about that thought you included Smith in the deal. My mistake
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
12:55 pm
Yea I know what you are saying. I just threw that out because Howard wants to play with josh. If josh cant come to the magic because they dont have what the hawks want in return, so maybe he will come to atl and play with josh…and it would be messed up if josh got traded to the magic and howard ends up leaving still leaving josh hanging in orlando lol
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
12:59 pm
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=5w44ytm
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
12:59 pm
Either of these trade should do, throw in some draft picks for the Hawks and it should work out
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=5rotc4s
http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=5w44ytm
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
1:00 pm
or http://espn.go.com/nba/tradeMachine?tradeId=5rotc4s
Throw in some draft picks for the Hawks and it should work out
albatross
June 23rd, 2011
1:02 pm
j smoove is the gayest nickname but then agian all atl teams have gay nicknames…matty ice, j-hey, j-smoove…give me a break
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
1:02 pm
I would only do this trade if we didnt have joe locked up with this huge contract, but we have a SG so im not sure about it
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
1:06 pm
Yea I dunno if Martin is a good defender or not but putting him at SF might be worth a shot, either that or move Joe at SF since he’s not a true SG anyway
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
1:08 pm
My point is this…we keep waiting for Smith to figure things out. “Oh, he’ll be a monster in two years, blah, blah, blah.” I think we are doomed to stay at the same level as long as we have this mis-matched “core” crew. Nobody wants Joe’s contract. Nobody wants Marvin. It’s either gotta be Smith or Horford, unfortunately. Just keep waiting in that pumpkin patch Linus, Smoove will be great next year.
cdog
June 23rd, 2011
1:10 pm
the hawks would be wise to trade for dwight howard. with josh smith or al hordford, they’re going to not make it to the finals.hordford or smith traded will help their chances of getting to the finals with howard as a hawk.
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
1:11 pm
I think Horford can be a monster if the PF position is given as all his after we unload Smoove. He can focus on his offense more and stop worrying so much about rebounding and defending
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
1:11 pm
By the way, where is Najeh Davenpoop today?
Vol_In_Ohio
June 23rd, 2011
1:14 pm
Agree with the article in that the potential deals listed make no sense. However, The Wolves seem desperate for a veteran big and they want to move the #2 pick. It actually seems like a fair trade to me.
I doubt Josh would be happy in Minnesota. His attitude about where he goes might be as effective as a no trade clause. I’d take the draft pick myself.
David
June 23rd, 2011
1:15 pm
Really are yall nuts overall Josh is the best player on this team easily do he take stupid shots yep but if he get that under control he could be a all time great in Hawks history, look at his numbers.
CJ
June 23rd, 2011
1:16 pm
2010-2011 Regular Season Shooting Percentages:
Josh Smith – .447 FG%, .331 3P%
Joe Johnson – .443 FG%, .297 3P%
I think we’re getting angry at the wrong person for shot selection. Also, Josh brings a defensive element to the game that is not replaceable. His 2.23 Career Block per Game are 4th amongst active players. Not replaceable.
Runner-
June 23rd, 2011
1:18 pm
@ CJ, shot selection is not about the percentage, it’s about when you take the shot. I’ll take Joe’s shot selection over Smoove’s any day of the week. Most of Joe’s were open 3’s anyway, they just weren’t going down. Most of Smoove’s were contested, pointless 3’s that came at crunch time, some of which cost us some important games
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
1:18 pm
I would rather have josh over horford though but that may just be me…Horford doesnt block shots and cant really post up…yes he has been to the all star the last 2 years but lets face it josh has been snub the last 2 seasons(maybe because his attitude)
CJ
June 23rd, 2011
1:23 pm
@Runner, I think you have it the other way around. Most of Josh’s were open 3’s. No one guards him outside of 20 feet. I think people just forget when Joe takes a bad shot because the perception is he is a high percentage shooter.
Jamaaliver
June 23rd, 2011
1:25 pm
CJ- No one is excusing JJ. But he did still lead the team in scoring and assists last year.
Josh quits in games…often. And he plays the same position as Horford. He needs a new start. We need a SF or starting caliber Center.
Josh has talent, but he’ll break your heart. He’s never actually own anything at any point in his career. he’s too weak to guard big Forwards, too slow to guard quick Forwards.
And his 1.6 blocks per game don’t exactly make him irreplaceable.
DawgDad
June 23rd, 2011
1:26 pm
The Hawks brass has said they want the team to get more physical “by subtraction and by adding some role players”. I’m no basketball expert, but on the surface subtracting Smith doesn’t seem to fit that equation. Crawford will walk, Marvin will move, a couple of bangers will be added, and the core will stick around.
tyger
June 23rd, 2011
1:26 pm
Hawks would be fools…
JSmoove is the heart/soul of this team…
Want more empty seats, trade JSmoove…
Why cant you find a salary match? b/c his equals make $15Mper+
Better luck trading Horford, he’s a beast but exposed in playoffs…
And that’s the difference, Smoove has unlimited potential, Horford has a ceiling…
Smoove can raise/lower his game to the level of competition, thats a rare commodity…
Anyone is tradeable but don’t bring me another dog w a different set of fleas!!!
cattledawg
June 23rd, 2011
1:28 pm
Im not a huge basketball fan, but heres my question for those that are. How come Atlanta cant attract a big time free agent? It seems to me that nba players love atlanta. Would dwight Howard not want to come home and be a star?
CJ
June 23rd, 2011
1:30 pm
@Jamaaliver I was going on a Career Blocks per Game because last year his legs were clearly bothering him during the season. He is a very frustrating player to watch, I’m just saying, there are things he brings to the table that are unique.
John
June 23rd, 2011
1:30 pm
If the Hawks trade anyone, they should trade Al. His skill set is replaceable, whereas, Josh’s isn’t. Do you guys understand what a hit we would take defensively by trading Josh. The major problem this season was Drew’s refusal to play Teague. I am convinced he would have added 5-7 wins to the season had he played regularly. I like Jamal, but the Hawks need to let him go and sign two good bench/role guys. Let Hinrich back up Teague and Joe. I think Marvin’s game will improve with Jamal gone, as will Joe’s. Jamal dominates the ball, and though he can score in bunches, he plays no D.
DawgDad
June 23rd, 2011
1:30 pm
“Smoove can raise/lower his game to the level of competition, thats a rare commodity…”
I’m not thinking Smith is moving (see above), but players who LOWER their game to the level of competition tend to BE commodities.
I don’t buy into the Larry Drew weak coach stuff either. He played for Norm Stewart at Missouri and others in the NBA; he’s had some solid tutelage.
Veteran Fan
June 23rd, 2011
1:32 pm
Josh, Zaza, Marvin and next year’s #1 and this year’s #2 to the Timberwolves for Kevin Love, Darko, and the pick to get Kanter from Turkey. JJ to whoever has the rights to Fredette and resign Jamal. Line up Kanter, Horford, Love, Heinrich, and Teague with Jamal, Fredette, and Darko coming off the bench. Great on the boards, very good defense, consistent offense. Serious contender for at least 5 years.
John
June 23rd, 2011
1:33 pm
I have been with the Hawks through thick and thin. I have watched nearly every game through the terrible years, but if they trade Josh for anyone on the Magic not named Dwight, I will pick a new team until the Atlanta SPIRIT sells the team and Rick Sund leaves. Plus, Al at PF does not stand a chance to make the All-Star team or All-NBA team. He benefitted from the lack of quality centers in the league. Josh is much closer to an all-star at PF than Al. Don’t you think Mark???
DD
June 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
Too much baggage with J-smoove. The guy has a ton of talent, but is a head case and a baby. He is poison to the team. We need to dump him.
MistaGamer
June 23rd, 2011
1:37 pm
@Runner – “pointess 3’s that came at crucn time, some of which cost us some important games” is just the hyperbole I hate being thrown around. Joe and Jamal both took way more bad shots, and may way more bad plays in crunch time that cost us games than Josh.
I’m not against the idea of trading Josh under all circumstances. But unfortunately, people will only see that rooting to just get rid of a guy that produces better than +90% of the players at his position is cutting of your nose to spite your face when he is gone.
Trading Josh away from this team is not this mythical/magical “addition by subtraction” thing that some people keep insisting on trying to pull out of the hat. Even if there was a such thing, that would imply that Josh is what is wrong with this team, and that couldn’t be futher from the truth. So, if you got rid of Josh and don’t get a Dwight howard type in return, the problems with this team just get much bigger.
Rattler4life000
June 23rd, 2011
1:40 pm
For all those that want Josh traded, but you want to keep Al? Why? After seeing Al in this past playoffs play soft as a you know what!!.. So we’d rather keep a 6–10 set shooter, with no post game, doesn’t like to be physical, doesn’t block shots and rebounds every now and again???? Really??? If you thought the arena was empty on some nights, just wait.. It was nice being a consistent playoff team, now franchise going backwards again!!! DISGUSTED!!!! Josh has a rare skill set and is a solid player on both ends of the court, where is the intensity on the team without Josh…ummm not from Al, not from Joe….anyone???? I’m listening……
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
1:44 pm
@cattledawg
Now that is a simple answer.
Atlanta Spirit Group
Their ownership sucks and now everybody know that, so it is going to be hard to attract the piece to the puzzle, more and more I think about it this. I think we just blow it up and start anew, like the Falcons did. Its too painfully to see stupid trade options and dealing with this inept ownership
Blow it up
dap01
June 23rd, 2011
1:45 pm
I am confident in Rick Sund. I am sure that he is busy at this very moment with all of the creative options that his brilliant mind has developed.
This is going to be a long night…..season…..
JF McNamara
June 23rd, 2011
1:46 pm
They should’ve traded him years ago. Why does he get so much hype anyway? He’s the 12th best power forward in the NBA. He’s just a good player and is equivalent to Luis Scola or Gerald Wallace.I would trade him in a heart beat to not have to deal with him, and bring in a closer to pair with Joe J and Horford.
http://www.hoopsstats.com/basketball/fantasy/nba/playerstats/11/5/eff
John
June 23rd, 2011
1:47 pm
Well said Mista. Plus, Josh is closer to being an All-Star at PF than Al. Al is really good, but he has made All-NBa and All-star teams because he could be plugged in at Center which is a really weak position in the league. Al is close to reaching his limit. Josh is not and even if he is, he is still better. Josh even has a better post game. When he uses them, Josh has some legitimate post moves.
JackP
June 23rd, 2011
1:57 pm
I think that Jay Bilas is full of………..well……..hot air.
Halsey
June 23rd, 2011
2:11 pm
I don’t know about trading Smith. It’s easy to become impatient with NBA players. Smith is still just 25. Many NBA players don’t hit their primes until around 30 years old or older. Smith may have more upside remaining than many realize.
Boycott ASG
June 23rd, 2011
2:23 pm
Bradley, why are you writing about the unwatchable ASG Hawks again? No body gives a flip about them, at least as long as they remain owned by those “masters of disaster”, the ASG.
horse
June 23rd, 2011
2:39 pm
TRADE THE ENTIRE TEAM FOR A SICK HORSE……….THEN SHOOT THE HORSE!
Nerds! Nerds! Nerds!
June 23rd, 2011
2:39 pm
I’ll give you “JSmoove” for a bag of Funyons and the letter W.
This just in… JSmoove just airballed ANOTHER three.
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
3:08 pm
@Tyger – “Smoove has unlimited potential, Horford has a ceiling”…When do we think he might get past the unlimited potential and actually get around to playing the way someone with unlimited potential plays? Five more years? Ten more years? Like I say, you guys keep on waiting in the pumpkin patch. I’m sure the Great Pumpkin will come next year.
@Rattler – “where is the intensity on the team without Josh?” I don’t know, Josh’s only intensity seems to be whining at referees for their perceived slights toward him. He’s so intense he can’t even run downcourt?
jarvis
June 23rd, 2011
3:28 pm
On the bright side, we have Joe locked up for another 5 seasons.
Jt
June 23rd, 2011
3:28 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.
kb
June 23rd, 2011
3:35 pm
This is the reason the Hawks have nevvvvver get to the Finals. Foolish fans as a whole and dumb mgt are the reasons this team has laided an egg, not Josh Smith. He just needs a seasoned coach who has a ring to gain respect from Josh (Pat Riley, Greg P, and now Rick C. of Dallas.) The only reason with any merit that Josh S is being traded is because Josh is one of the tradable pieces this team came move and get something back in return (Al Horford is the other.)
We can’t move J. Johson because of that stupid contract this mgt team gave him. No other team in the league their right mind is going to trade for that. M. Williams is a bust. We spent three draft picks for a shooting gaurd who is now learning to play point (Remember Acie Law? Remember Jordan Crawford?) We had Joel P of Portland and gave him away for a bag of peanuts.
I hope they move Josh and he gets a ring way before the Hawks. This team always had foolish GMs (Remember Stan Kasten before this bluffoon Rick Pfund; Remember Billy Knight?) who didn’t know what in hades what to do. I wished Belkin would owned the team and washed this crap of mgt group away. But to blame Josh S for the failures of this team is foolish. Yes, he needs to mature and yes he must be accountable for his actions. But no one has put the rest of this roster under the hot lights as much as Josh S has been. Where was Al H, Joe J, Jamal C, and Marvin W. in both the Orlando and Chicago series? The team so called leader Joe J. is a mental midget. Roast him too…. A team goes as far as the leader takes them…
These Hawks need to chew on that for a moment…..
Trading Horford and Sy to Houston; Motiejunas- JordanHill-Thabeet-Malcolm Thomas
June 23rd, 2011
4:13 pm
Its funny because we have Smith on his Game 4 press conference saying he’ll take all the blame and he didn’t know he was being blamed for Game 3 loss until they told him right there and then.
Has Big Al ever taken responsibility? were screwed with Al
Add to the fact that all these rumors link back to an ajc articles… I understand clicks= $$ for journalists to eat but this is laughable IMO
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
4:21 pm
I’m all for Joe, Horford, Smith and Marvin four 4 packs o’ tater chips.
Holy Cow
June 23rd, 2011
4:23 pm
Trading them all for four bags of tater chips that is. As constructed this time cannot reach the finals.
Hallelujah!!!- Hawks to be sold
June 23rd, 2011
4:24 pm
SI is reporting the Hawks are about to be sold!! Could the ownership nightmare be over?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/ian_thomsen/06/23/hawks.sale/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp
Hallelujah!!!- Hawks to be sold
June 23rd, 2011
4:25 pm
SI is reporting the Hawks are about to be sold!!! Could the ownership nightmare be over?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/ian_thomsen/06/23/hawks.sale/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp
CO_Braves
June 23rd, 2011
4:30 pm
Well, looks like we might be getting our wish: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/ian_thomsen/06/23/hawks.sale/index.html?sct=hp_t2_a3&eref=sihp.
Columbus
June 23rd, 2011
4:37 pm
Minnesota for #2 for Josh to get Canter would be GREAT if it would work. I would think they would want a guard from us also which we happen to have. This was reported by Yahoo sports FYI.
Also the Hawks ara about to be SOLD! Halleluah!!!!!
superiorblogman
June 23rd, 2011
4:50 pm
No way should the Hawks trade Josh for Enes Kanter, no way. If we get that #2 pick we should take Derrick Williams he is the only superstar in this draft.
Will tonight's NBA draft be a snooze-fest or a Smoove-fest? | Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
5:06 pm
[...] rumors have been running rampant the past 36 hours, and it’s not clear of any of them will come to fruition ever, let alone before the draft is [...]
joBjo
June 23rd, 2011
5:36 pm
Smoove for Love.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
5:38 pm
I will tell you this much: Rick Sund has always been high on Kevin Love.
Maggie
June 23rd, 2011
9:44 pm
the Hawks have been blundering their draft picks and ‘re-building’ forEVER!!! I agree 1000% with everything ‘me’ has posted!!! UNload the immature ‘ego’ soooooooooo NOT elite Josh Smith ASAP!!!! get us a proven TALENT………and a proven coach while they’re at it!!! New ownership would be a HUGE plus……. a Mark Cuban clone??!!! woooohoooooooo!!!
Alex M
June 23rd, 2011
11:42 pm
Instead of Josh Smith going to Orlando to play with his best friend, how bout Dwight comes to his home town to play with Josh.
MT
June 24th, 2011
6:47 pm
Josh Smith is the best player ATL got, well him and Al Hoford. Its Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams that need to go. they dont show up in the playoffs get a big man and a SG and keep Jamal Crawford
Jimmy Moorehead
June 25th, 2011
4:28 am
Josh Smith plus Dwight Howard could spell trouble for the NBA… Orlando would get its first title.
Baby mamma drama
June 25th, 2011
10:56 pm
Smiths multiple children with multiple women show up to games and literally talk to him. Another city will do him good.
Watching You
June 29th, 2011
7:03 pm
What are you trying to do now, audition for a Jerry Springer type of Hawks beat-writer? Frankly, I’m not amused at your attempt of becoming a comedian at the Hawks expense. Bloggers can get away with this style of writing but as AJC writer, I expected a higher standard. There are so many negative stereotype castings in this article I won’t bother to explain. Would you cover the Falcons or the Braves in this manner, as a big joke? Your constant jabs at the Hawks and undercover bias has not gone unnoticed especially since the Hawks playoff appearances have outperformed both the Braves and the Falcons over the last 3 years. Yes these Hawks needs to improve more to continue reaching championship status but they shouldn’t be given the “Rodney Dangerfield treatment”. At least show some respect. If I were anyone of the persons you singled out in this article, I would be offended and wouldn’t give you the time of day if you ever requested an interview. Your demagoguery tone epitomizes the negative perception of Atlanta as a terrible sports town to outsiders. They read your negative articles and conform what they think they know. Outside writers playback the negative imagines you create in their reporting. You then feed on the negative playback and write negative responses blaming the players for the fiasco.
Since this new comedy angle isn’t working for you either, perhaps you should try keeping your day job which is also becoming questionable