Goat of the Game

[Jamaaliver]

(Gasol) is owed 40 million over the next 2 years and is on the down-side of his career.

His contract size does have to be taken into consideration...but his contract will be an expiring contract next season. As the new CBA rules start to kick in, a $20 million expiring contract becomes a VERY attractive asset if Gasol somehow doesn't fit in here.

But let's face it, Gasol's worst years are equal to or better than Josh Smith's best years.

Gasol's effectiveness is based on size and skill. Two things that won't diminish with time.

Josh Smith's effectiveness is based on his athleticism, which is already declining.

Buy low, sell high. Gasol is pretty much the same age KG was when he was traded to Boston. And their stats at that point are eerily similar.

Gasol and Horford gives us the best frontcourt in the East.

[ATLHawksfan21]

ATL is better with Smith than they would be with Gasol. Smith is better at creating his own shot and he is better at creating for others than Gasol is. He is also more athletic and helps our transition game immensely. His shooting percentages have been poor so far this year but he adds more than enough in other aspects of the game to be the better option.

Another key factor is the fact that Smith can play the 3. I would much rather have a starting lineup of:

Teague
Korver
Smith
Horford
Pachulia

than

Teague
Stevenson
Korver
Horford
Gasol

Gasol isn't a true C either so it wouldn't solve our problem of not having a true C. We would be stuck relying heavily on Stevenson and Tolliver on a nightly basis which is a terrible idea.

[PandaKidd]

Gasol and Horford gives us the best frontcourt in the East.

LBJ and Bosh doe...........................

Melo and Chandler(or Amare) doe.............

Pau and Horford isnt that attractive IMO.

[Jamaaliver]

You guys BOTH make excellent points. I understand your concern and acknowledge there'd be some risk to it, but:

Josh doesn't nearly provide the post presence that Pau does. PG has never avg less than 17 ppg in a season, consistently shoots over 50% so I thinkk he creates his own shot pretty consistently, In both the playoffs and regular season.

A strong post presence in the half court opens up our shooters as most centers are too slow to guard Pau and most PF are to small to guard Pau (a true 7 footer.)

He is obviously not as quicl or athletic as Josh, but he and Horford can share time guarding opposing centers depending on matchups. With Zaza filling in as well. We'd immediately improve our rebounding numbers, provide depth at Center with three bodies capable of being produtive on defense AND offense.

LBJ and Bosh would pose matchup issues, as would Melo/Tyson Chandler.

But Lebron nor Bosh can guard Pau in the post. Again, we haven't had a scoring post player at 7 feet tall since...ever?

Just my opinion. But Horford's jump shooting and Pau's post-game would complement each other very well. And if not, we have a $20 mill expiring contract to dangle for more assets.

But we'd be the best rebounding team in the division easily. Today, we have an undersized front court AND an undersized backcourt. A true scoring 7-footer helps since Chandler, Hibbert, KG are the only bigs in the Eastern Conference capable of guarding him straight up.

[ATLHawksfan21]

and we would have zero cap room for next year. It's just a terrible idea all around. So you want to trade Josh for a half-year rental of Pau, who is a shell of his former self, and then use him as a $20 million expiring contract next year. It makes zero sense. We are better off keeping Smith and seeing how he does as the #1 guy. If he is successful, we re-sign Josh and see if we can attract another all-star in free agency. Getting Pau would just take us right back to being the treadmill team we were before with no room for improvement and we would be worse than we are now with less flexibility in the lineup.

The Josh hate on this board is absurd. I agree that he needs to work on his shot selection and he has played below expectations so far this season but it is still early. Josh is still our best player by a long-shot.

[MaceCase]

There is simply no conceivable way that Pau alone could eat up 40 million in capspace next season, by that reasoning resigning Josh to anywhere close to what he can get as a proven number 1 option would put you in the very same situation as you are arguing against. Secondly, if you are judging Pau being on a decline based on his start to the season and playoffs.....why is that same criteria not being applied to Josh's playoffs and start to season?

That being said, the boat for Pau has sailed. He has about as much bearing to this team's future as Devin Harris and Kyle Korver. This team is not in win now mode anymore once Joe was jettisoned so it is an altogether pointless debate over adding any overpriced vet that will not put the team over the top or factor into the longterm success of the team. Consequently that also applies to Josh if he cannot bounce back dramatically from this start and is asking for a hefty new contract come 2013.

[ATLHawksfan21]

There is simply no conceivable way that Pau alone could eat up 40 million in capspace next season, by that reasoning resigning Josh to anywhere close to what he can get as a proven number 1 option would put you in the very same situation as you are arguing against. Secondly, if you are judging Pau being on a decline based on his start to the season and playoffs.....why is that same criteria not being applied to Josh's playoffs and start to season?

That being said, the boat for Pau has sailed. He has about as much bearing to this team's future as Devin Harris and Kyle Korver. This team is not in win now mode anymore once Joe was jettisoned so it is an altogether pointless debate over adding any overpriced vet that will not put the team over the top or factor into the longterm success of the team. Consequently that also applies to Josh if he cannot bounce back dramatically from this start and is asking for a hefty new contract come 2013.

Re-read my statement and you will see that I said try to sign Josh IF he is successful at being the #1 option this year. I wouldn't want to re-sign Josh, even if he is successful as the #1 this year, if it takes a max contract to do so.

[Jamaaliver]

The Josh hate on this board is absurd. I agree that he needs to work on his shot selection and he has played below expectations so far this season but it is still early. Josh is still our best player by a long-shot.

I'm a guy who is about production. Accomplishment. Particularly for long time players. Josh is a long time player. We have literally been talking about him and shot selection for almost five years now.

We've been talking about him as the best player for years now.

After 8 years here, the longest tenure with the franchise really (except for L Drew) Josh is what he is. we sign him to a long term contract now, we'll watch is athleticism decline. We'll watch his shot selection stay poor. His FG% stay under 50%. We'll watch him pout when things go wrong. We'll watch him get snubbed by coaches, players, fans for recognition.

How do I know? Because we have...for almost a decade.

He's never avg 20 ppg. he's never avg a double double. He, once, in eight years, had a fantastic month.
After 8 years, he had ONE month that we look at. The thing is, his shot selction was still poor. he ws just hitting his jumpers. And once he cooled off after a few weeks, things went right back to normal. Him shooting poorly, making poor decisions with the ball.

After 8 years of 17 ppg and 8 rpg, what makes you think Josh is going to be the savior? because he dunks alot?
I just don't get the obsession for a guy whose best season is still pretty subpar in comparison to the top players at his position.

[ATLHawksfan21]

After 8 years of 17 ppg and 8 rpg, what makes you think Josh is going to be the savior? because he dunks alot?
I just don't get the obsession for a guy whose best season is still pretty subpar in comparison to the top players at his position.

I like how you continue to put words in my mouth. When did I ever say that Josh was the savior? I said Josh is a better fit for this team than Pau and he is currently the best player on this team. I get frustrated with Josh's shot selection just like everyone else, but he is still the best defender, rebounder, second best passer, and our best offensive option when he is in the post like he should be.

I mention the hate of Josh because people were ragging on him after the Portland game where he played his ass off while being sick. Yes, he shot under 50%, but he played damn hard on defense, had 11 boards, took a charge late in the 4th and had a couple of assists in the 4th. Josh was our best player in the Portland game and he still received hate with one poster calling him out for missing free throws when he missed none.

[Jamaaliver]

Yikes! Things seem to be getting a tad testy in our friendly debate.

I think we'll just have to agree to disagree...

Btw...Josh isn't the best rebounder or POST defender on the team.

Al has superior reb numbers this season and every other full season he's played. Josh has never out rebounded Al when they've both been healthy.

Josh is also too small to guard centers and even quite a few PFs.

Teague and Lou are the best passers.

Just say in'.