New Sekou blog: Smith, Morris
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:29 pm
Switching lanes
By Sekou K Smith | Saturday, July 26, 2008, 10:11 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE BASEMENT - This time a month ago I was busy calculating just how long it might take for the Hawks to wrap up negotiations with both Josh Smith and Josh Childress before putting the finishing touches on the roster in time for training camp.
Little did I know that I’d be sitting here this morning trying to wrap my dome around the fact that there’s a good chance neither Smith nor Childress would be in a Hawks uniform this season.
Childress, of course, is already gone.
Smith, on the other hand, is still in the crosshairs. But it’s not looking good for the Hawks on that front.
There are at least two, blockbuster sign-and-trade proposals the Hawks are chewing on regarding Smith (one from a Western Conference power and the other from an Eastern Conference big dog) that could dramatically change the landscape in Hawksville.
The “proverbial” ball appears to be clearly in the Hawks’ court regarding both opportunities, and we should presume many more. Because if they are resigned to the fact that they don’t intend to pay Smith a salary commensurate with what he feels he’s worth, then there only recourse is to sign-and-trade him.
The leverage we all assumed the Hawks had with their own restricted free agents went up in smoke last week when Childress bounced.
Anyone that doesn’t think Smith will wait this thing out as long as the Hawks is living in a dream world. If you don’t think he’ll sign a qualifying offer, play out his season and walk next summer as an unrestricted free agent you’re crazy.
If the Hawks want to get anything in return (and keep in mind they get absolutely nothing if he plays out the year and walks, NOTHING), they have to act now.
The tricky thing about sign-and-trades is that all sides not only have to agree on the deal but all three sides want to walk away from the deal the winner (whether it’s acknowledged by others or not).
With one loss already on the books this summer, the Hawks simply cannot afford another.
AFTER THE FACT: If you believe what you read, half the NBA considered going to Europe before Childress decided to take the groundbreaking leap.
I don’t believe. I think it’s extremely convenient (and totally disingenuous), mostly for these agents involved, that they can lay claim to being pursued by Olympiakos or any of these other European teams after the fact.
Whether you love or hate the decision, Childress and his camp have to be given credit for their vision. So for everyone else to claim to have spurned the same opportunities is just a bit sketchy to me.
ON THE VERGE: There hasn’t been a whole lot of chatter about Randolph Morris since he made an appearance at the Hawks’ mini-camp at Philips Arena.
But several of my spies contend that he’s set to join the Hawks’ roster for this upcoming season (on a two-year, minimum deal that would allow the Hawks to bolster their frontcourt rotation significantly).
This would also be a splendid opportunity for Morris to dig in and make his status in the NBA permanent (not necessarily with the Hawks but just in the general sense) by proving that he’s a legitimate big man.
And the opportunity to play behind Al Horford and perhaps Zaza Pachulia should provide ample opportunity for Morris to make his case.
MO, MO, MO: I do like the acquisition of Mo Evans, though not necessarily as a replacement for Childress.
How smooth would it have been to add him to the mix along with the Hawks’ top eight rotation (from the playoff series against Boston)?
The role Evans can play for this team has nothing to do with offense and so much more to do with what he can do defensively.
The Hawks have needed a defensive stopper (if you will) to help alleviate that pressure on Joe Johnson. Evans could be the off-the-bench stopper the Hawks haven’t had the past few years, a guy that comes in alongside Johnson on the defensive end and a guy who can also stroke the ball from deep to keep team’s off balance on the other end of the floor.
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared ... lanes.html
By Sekou K Smith | Saturday, July 26, 2008, 10:11 AM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
THE BASEMENT - This time a month ago I was busy calculating just how long it might take for the Hawks to wrap up negotiations with both Josh Smith and Josh Childress before putting the finishing touches on the roster in time for training camp.
Little did I know that I’d be sitting here this morning trying to wrap my dome around the fact that there’s a good chance neither Smith nor Childress would be in a Hawks uniform this season.
Childress, of course, is already gone.
Smith, on the other hand, is still in the crosshairs. But it’s not looking good for the Hawks on that front.
There are at least two, blockbuster sign-and-trade proposals the Hawks are chewing on regarding Smith (one from a Western Conference power and the other from an Eastern Conference big dog) that could dramatically change the landscape in Hawksville.
The “proverbial” ball appears to be clearly in the Hawks’ court regarding both opportunities, and we should presume many more. Because if they are resigned to the fact that they don’t intend to pay Smith a salary commensurate with what he feels he’s worth, then there only recourse is to sign-and-trade him.
The leverage we all assumed the Hawks had with their own restricted free agents went up in smoke last week when Childress bounced.
Anyone that doesn’t think Smith will wait this thing out as long as the Hawks is living in a dream world. If you don’t think he’ll sign a qualifying offer, play out his season and walk next summer as an unrestricted free agent you’re crazy.
If the Hawks want to get anything in return (and keep in mind they get absolutely nothing if he plays out the year and walks, NOTHING), they have to act now.
The tricky thing about sign-and-trades is that all sides not only have to agree on the deal but all three sides want to walk away from the deal the winner (whether it’s acknowledged by others or not).
With one loss already on the books this summer, the Hawks simply cannot afford another.
AFTER THE FACT: If you believe what you read, half the NBA considered going to Europe before Childress decided to take the groundbreaking leap.
I don’t believe. I think it’s extremely convenient (and totally disingenuous), mostly for these agents involved, that they can lay claim to being pursued by Olympiakos or any of these other European teams after the fact.
Whether you love or hate the decision, Childress and his camp have to be given credit for their vision. So for everyone else to claim to have spurned the same opportunities is just a bit sketchy to me.
ON THE VERGE: There hasn’t been a whole lot of chatter about Randolph Morris since he made an appearance at the Hawks’ mini-camp at Philips Arena.
But several of my spies contend that he’s set to join the Hawks’ roster for this upcoming season (on a two-year, minimum deal that would allow the Hawks to bolster their frontcourt rotation significantly).
This would also be a splendid opportunity for Morris to dig in and make his status in the NBA permanent (not necessarily with the Hawks but just in the general sense) by proving that he’s a legitimate big man.
And the opportunity to play behind Al Horford and perhaps Zaza Pachulia should provide ample opportunity for Morris to make his case.
MO, MO, MO: I do like the acquisition of Mo Evans, though not necessarily as a replacement for Childress.
How smooth would it have been to add him to the mix along with the Hawks’ top eight rotation (from the playoff series against Boston)?
The role Evans can play for this team has nothing to do with offense and so much more to do with what he can do defensively.
The Hawks have needed a defensive stopper (if you will) to help alleviate that pressure on Joe Johnson. Evans could be the off-the-bench stopper the Hawks haven’t had the past few years, a guy that comes in alongside Johnson on the defensive end and a guy who can also stroke the ball from deep to keep team’s off balance on the other end of the floor.
http://www.ajc.com/blogs/content/shared ... lanes.html