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Hey guys, magic fan here. I wante to know from u who know the Hawks inside out, what is the deal with Josh? Is he wanting to leave? What is the team looking for if they do trade him? Cap relief etc..? Thanks

magic111 wrote:Hey guys, magic fan here. I wante to know from u who know the Hawks inside out, what is the deal with Josh? Is he wanting to leave? What is the team looking for if they do trade him? Cap relief etc..? Thanks

He wants to leave because of management and ownership.. having a pos ownership that doesn't want to do anything but screw the team even more. Yeah that makes a player want to leave.

magic111 wrote:Hey guys, magic fan here. I wante to know from u who know the Hawks inside out, what is the deal with Josh? Is he wanting to leave? What is the team looking for if they do trade him? Cap relief etc..? Thanks

haha, i can see magic fans are trying to figure out one trade to lock up Dwight.

but no, Smoove is fine and Hawks are fine. Josh has already said that all the rumors are fake, just click on the story below:

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/7683520/bruce-levenson-atlanta-hawks-co-owner-dispels-josh-smith-trade-rumors

their is a reason why all the stories about Josh, says "inside source", or "close source", because its fake, but Josh has already stated that he doesn't want to leave and his play as of late has reflected that.

The rumor is that if he stills wants out in the offseason they'll try to accommodate that request. The thing is even if he didn't want to leave his contract is up at the end of next season. At that time he'd be hard to resign give the increasing penalties for exceeding the luxury tax threshold and the escalation of Joe Johnson's salary. We are talking about owners that sold their 2nd round pick to cover the tax bill with it being less than a million dollars (not sure of exacts) this year. What'll happen when the tax bill get multiplied.

The thing is ownership stepped up and paid Joe Johnson like they were James Dolan (which they are not). Furthermore in doing so they ignored the likely outcome of the impending lockout. They could have easily assumed the cap and therefore the luxury tax threshold would be lower based on the ownerships desire to be around 50/50 and the likelihood of waning revenues. Maybe they thought revenue sharing would help, which it does or they wouldn't afford to pay what they are. The length of Joe's contract is so much that it exceeds the transition period to stiffer penalties of the new CBA. The other thing you hear is talk of using the amnesty clause on Joe as his skills diminish. The owners would need a serious loan to amnesty Joe who is owed 89M after this year and still 69M when Josh and Jeff Teague are free agents. More likely the owners thought they'd sell and it wouldn't be their problem or that they'd keep the core together until Josh's contract was up and then slide into rebuilding with it really kicking into gear the year Joe's contract ends.

Mind you if that is wrong, even if they paid Josh to stay they'd eventually be just Joe, Al, and Josh and more minimum salary pieces. If they don't have enough to seriously compete for a title now, then what chance will they have when they have even less pieces around the core?

More on the Josh request: Josh initially made the request last year and it makes sense. At the time they would have just promoted an assistant to head coach as the least expensive candidate (not encouraging). They had the aging husk of Mike Bibby as PG and even this new coach insisted on playing him instead of giving young 2nd year Jeff Teague a chance at minutes (so decaying lineup). Things may have cooled of when they had a decent showing against Chicago in the 2nd round of playoffs, but it was obvious they didn't have enough bullets. Josh, Joe, and Al had all requested another big to use as starting center. Josh even reported after the lockout about 30 pounds lighter in anticipation of playing SF (like he did during their best playoff games). Ownership never heeded that request for a center. They did have some inexpensive young players to try out in Magnum Rolle and Keith Benson. Both were beaten out by 27 year old rookie F (6'8") Ivan Johnson because he was more ready to play at this level. Josh reiterated his request to get out (according to later reports). To be fair he couldn't have assumed the minimum salary bench would play anywhere near as well as it has especially with the injuries the Hawks roster suffered. He nor his agent officially made another request to get out just prior to the trade deadline. The report was actually that he made the request before and still felt that way even if he didn't say it publicly. That might be true. As I already covered the public denials of the reports help little. The owners still don't have the money to spend to get over the hump and Josh will likely find himself out of Atlanta either by trade or just by completing his contract.

I really want this trade to happen: Smith/Marvin Williams for Okafor/higher lotto pick with top 1 protection (if it is top 1 then other lotto pick) rumor has it that the Hornets are looking to just dump Okafor and give up the lotto as bait, I've heard that the Hawks have called New Orleans and offered Marvin Williams for Okafor/lower lotto pick now I don't think that would be enough as MArvin also has a terrible contract. I really wouldn't mind Okafor and his monster contract he's just what we've been looking for in a Center.

ATL Boy wrote:I really want this trade to happen: Smith/Marvin Williams for Okafor/higher lotto pick with top 1 protection (if it is top 1 then other lotto pick) rumor has it that the Hornets are looking to just dump Okafor and give up the lotto as bait, I've heard that the Hawks have called New Orleans and offered Marvin Williams for Okafor/lower lotto pick now I don't think that would be enough as MArvin also has a terrible contract. I really wouldn't mind Okafor and his monster contract he's just what we've been looking for in a Center.

Portland just acquired possibly the 4th pick in this years draft and all they gave up was Gerald Wallace. In due time we'll see what the pick actually ends up being. Having to deal with Okafor for two seasons would be brutal.

HMFFL wrote:

ATL Boy wrote:I really want this trade to happen: Smith/Marvin Williams for Okafor/higher lotto pick with top 1 protection (if it is top 1 then other lotto pick) rumor has it that the Hornets are looking to just dump Okafor and give up the lotto as bait, I've heard that the Hawks have called New Orleans and offered Marvin Williams for Okafor/lower lotto pick now I don't think that would be enough as MArvin also has a terrible contract. I really wouldn't mind Okafor and his monster contract he's just what we've been looking for in a Center.

Portland just acquired possibly the 4th pick in this years draft and all they gave up was Gerald Wallace. In due time we'll see what the pick actually ends up being. Having to deal with Okafor for two seasons would be brutal.

Yes Okafor has a monster contract but he's still a serviceable Center who can really help us at the Center position. Also taking the contract wouldn't be that bad if we gave Marvin and his bad deal even though it's not as bad as Okafor.

Yes, I was all for that Okafor move but not so much now, this is really a weak draft if you are looking for a 1-3 option player. Josh Smith is like no worse than the 3rd option on a team that has made it to within 2 games of the ECFinals. I am not sure you will find that in this years draft. I actually think Marvin and Zaza and exchange first round picks with NO for Okafor would be a lot more than fair considering how Zaza is playing.

I really don't like Okafor. He's not a dominant defensive center at this level, nor is he a great offensive threat. He's just okay, but paid like a star. This is a strong draft for contributors and weak for stars. I see guys late in the first round that I think will have careers as good as the former #2 pick Okafor (maybe better). Those picks will also be a lot less expensive for the first five years.

Portland getting such a good pick for Wallace is the sign of a weak front office in New Jersey. The Lakers used their late firsts to acquire Sessions and dump the salaries of Luke Walton and Derrick Fisher. San Antonio dumped Richard Jefferson's long contract with a last 1st rounder to Golden State (11M in bad salary). Or maybe low firsts are more attractive this year than late lottery ones? Better cost structure and likely same level of player this year.

New Jersey's front office is not weak but smart. There is not a SF in this draft that will be any better than Wallace anytime soon if ever. MKG's ceiling is Wallace, Harrison Barnes is overblown. New Jersey is trying to keep and attract stars. You don't do that with potential players, you do it will establish players.