RealGM

Can josh smith sign one year for the 3.1 mil and then be traded to a team and comparable salary and some draft picks ( maybe 2 first) like the Joe Johnson deal

once he takes the 1 year QO he cannot be traded without his consent. And if he does get traded at that point then his new team would not have any birdrights on him so realistically they would have to use real caproom to resign him. (ie- he isn't going to sign for the MLE)

If smith is really at the point where he is willing to take the QO the hawks would be far better off doing a S&T this offseason. Because for him to take the QO it would mean he feels that the franchise is trying to screw him and he will certainly leave for nothing next offseason.

The ASG better sign him long term now or go ahead and get used to life without the 'Highlight factory'.

The bright side is that a week or two ago the talks between Oak and Charlotte had reached the point that most analysts think the Smith-Hawks talks have reached - the point of no return. In the end, Johnson & Co. ponied up the dough because they knew that losing Oak for nothing (or a crappy SnT deal) wouldn't make them a better team.

That doesn't mean that we will necessarilly do the same, just that doom and gloom predictions are still a bit early.