Will tonight’s NBA draft be a snooze-fest or a Smoove-fest?
Game 6 against the Bulls: Was it his last night as a Hawk? (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
And here we thought tonight’s NBA draft would be a snooze-fest for Hawks fans. Turns out it could become … pardon the expression … a Smoove-fest.
Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports that the Hawks, who currently hold only the 18th pick of the second round, are trying to trade Josh Smith to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the second pick in the draft. With this pick, Wojnarowski writes, the Hawks would take Enes Kanter, the center from Turkey who was ruled ineligible to play for Kentucky this season by the NCAA.
Smith 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 done. (Me, I’m skeptical. But that’s just me.) But all among us who figured we’d skip the draft because the Hawks didn’t have a Round 1 pick might want to rethink.
The Kanter deal makes some sense, at least from the Hawks’ perspective. He’d be the center, Al Horford would be the power forward and Josh Smith and his $12.5 million salary would be gone.
Again, there’s no guarantee this will happen. (Even Wojnarowski notes that the T-Wolves “haven’t been forthcoming.”) If something does happen, it’ll happen quick. The draft commences at 7 p.m. We will, as ever, watch and report.
By Mark Bradley
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196 comments Add your comment
decriz
June 23rd, 2011
7:15 pm
let Drew go and hire Rick Adelman!
get GREG SMITH 2nd round
this is a great team already, let Rick Adelman get the most of the talent already here!
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
7:15 pm
If Smith is traded to Orlando, it will have to be a three-way parlay.
Just Me
June 23rd, 2011
7:18 pm
Jimmer will not be worth the money. He has NO DEFENSE at all. He is a JJ Reddick. He can’t play 34 or more minutes if he can’t defend.
Reggie S
June 23rd, 2011
7:18 pm
Plus we can NOT be dumb and trade Josh to a team inside our division. That would not be a smart move
Dukester
June 23rd, 2011
7:18 pm
Its amazing a man named Adrian Wojarnoski or whatever can make a statement and we believe that we will ship a proven player for us for a guy that we dont even know who he is. Folks Josh Smith will not be traded.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:28 pm
I’d prefer a snooze-fest to a Smoove for Kanter trade.
chickenman
June 23rd, 2011
7:29 pm
ya i cant imagine the fans here getting excited for the turkish center… we need to sell tickets to keep the team in town… go get a stud guard or pray for williams to not get picked 1 lol
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:30 pm
“Jimmer will not be worth the money. He has NO DEFENSE at all. He is a JJ Reddick. He can’t play 34 or more minutes if he can’t defend.”
Jimmer is better than JJ Redick, but he reminds me more than anything of the 2008 version of Mike Bibby right after the Hawks traded for him. I think 15 points, 5-6 dimes, 40% 3 point shooting and no defense is his most likely NBA scenario. That’s a pretty good player but not one worth trading up for.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:30 pm
“let Drew go and hire Rick Adelman!”
This would do more to improve the Hawks and change the culture than anything they can do with the draft or trades tonight. Adelman would be perfect for this team.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
7:32 pm
“WOW all those Millions of Dollars going to an average at best player. Sports is so out of wack.”
All those millions of dollars go to these average at best players because we the fans are willing to pay exorbitant prices to see them play and patronize the sponsors who pay even more exorbitant prices to advertise on TV during the games.
Sports are only out of whack because our priorities are even more out of whack.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
7:40 pm
Kyrie Irving goes No. 1 to Cleveland.
Just Me
June 23rd, 2011
7:42 pm
a damn DUKIE
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
7:44 pm
Should the T-Wolves pick Derrick W., that’s your tip that there’s no deal for Josh Smith.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:45 pm
I don’t know. Sund and a foreign tall guy. Has some history to it…
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:45 pm
Mark ,
You called it…
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
7:46 pm
That’s your tip. Doesn’t look like Minnesota bit.
GT Alum
June 23rd, 2011
7:46 pm
Well, we now know the Hawks won’t be trading with Minnesota to get Kanter.
Big Ray
June 23rd, 2011
7:46 pm
Seems the T-Wolves aren’t complete idiots after all. Meanwhile the ATL will try and dangle another senseless deal to someone else. Snoozing…
Matt
June 23rd, 2011
7:47 pm
No deal for Smith then because Wojnarski just tweeted they’re taking DWill.
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
7:48 pm
Sweet. The rudderless ship charges into another season. We made the 2nd round and won more than 13 games….
RISE UP!
Uhhhh…..screw the Spirit.
Luke Cage
June 23rd, 2011
7:48 pm
Sup peeps!
Matt
June 23rd, 2011
7:48 pm
Back to obscurity go the Hawks!!
Luke Cage
June 23rd, 2011
7:48 pm
New T-Wolves emblem on Williams’ cap
Luke Cage
June 23rd, 2011
7:49 pm
Williams has to play the 3 with Love at the 4.
K-Dogg
June 23rd, 2011
7:50 pm
I think Williams may end up better then Kanter but the Hawks have to trade for need and we need a legit center not anotehr tweener… I still think we can get better players for Josh. I already said we need to talk to the clippers about Kaman or Jordan and Craig Smith or talk to the Nuggets about Nene or the cat they got from the knicks and Chandler we can go alot of ways just dont trade a proven player for an unproven one unless we have a 3 we can plug in and be ok if the unproven one does not produce. I thought that is common sense…….
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
7:54 pm
First player drafted played 11 college games. Third player drafted didn’t play any.
ugakev
June 23rd, 2011
7:55 pm
well cleveland is stupid…you take derrick williams and then take walker with your second pick
Stupid Hawks
June 23rd, 2011
7:56 pm
Sund just can not wheel and deal and get something done. The Atlanta 2nd rounders remain the same.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
7:59 pm
Don’t know about Tristan T. at No. 4.
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
8:01 pm
Oh well, snooze-fest.
This sucks
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
8:02 pm
Yep. Kinda looks like we’ll be waiting until about 11 p.m. for the Hawks to make their No. 48 selection.
Just Me
June 23rd, 2011
8:04 pm
Where is HEWITT FAN?
Looks like Europeans are all the rage this draft.
2 FOR JOHN DREW
June 23rd, 2011
8:04 pm
Mark, I wish Rick Sund was more open w/ media & fans !!!!!!!!!
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
8:05 pm
Sund’s pretty good with the media, I think.
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
8:05 pm
Worst post draft pick interview ever.
Worm
June 23rd, 2011
8:06 pm
The NBA draft..dang, I was rearranging my sock drawer.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
8:06 pm
Jon Barry just mentioned Jordan Crawford. Former Hawk.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
8:07 pm
Only two American-born players in the top six.
J.J.M.
June 23rd, 2011
8:09 pm
wizards got 2 7 footers
GT Alum
June 23rd, 2011
8:11 pm
Sund’s got his talking points, and he sticks to them.
Najeh Davenpoop
June 23rd, 2011
8:11 pm
Most of the American born top players were smart enough to stay out of this draft, what with the lockout looming and all. Perry Jones and Harrison Barnes would have gone by now if they had come out.
wordy
June 23rd, 2011
8:12 pm
Mark- This must be one of your most boring assignments. At least ATL traded out of the worst draft in forever
Paul in RDU
June 23rd, 2011
8:12 pm
MJ strikes again. Trying to outdo his picks of Kwame Brown and Adam Morrison.
Mike
June 23rd, 2011
8:12 pm
It’s a shame the Gold Club is closed because “WHO WANTS TO SEX BIYOMBO” really rolls off the tounge.
Hatmatbbat10
June 23rd, 2011
8:14 pm
Mark, only one American-born player in the top six (at least according to NBA player profiles). Derrick Williams is the only one.
Mark Bradley
June 23rd, 2011
8:15 pm
Oh, that’s right. Kyrie Irving was born in Australia.
Just Me
June 23rd, 2011
8:16 pm
what is a Gold Club? Why does it roll off your tongue?
Just Me
June 23rd, 2011
8:18 pm
I guess ALL the GREAT American born players are joining that And1 or Street Ball League crap. HAHAHAHA don’t need fundamentals to play that game.
Outside Observer
June 23rd, 2011
8:26 pm
I believe Kemba wins the award for worst suit of the night. It doesn’t even look fitted. It looks really small.
Just Me
June 23rd, 2011
8:26 pm
I did think Walker would have gone sooner. I bet he was getting nervous as the top 14 were clicking off.