Hawks Unwilling To Give Max Contract To Josh Smith

[Jamaaliver]

He should have been traded a year ago while his stock was at an All Time High.

The Atlanta Hawks met with Josh Smith's representatives this week and indicated that they are not willing to give the forward a max contract after this season, according to a league source.

The Hawks, in turn, are entertaining trade offers for Smith around the NBA but haven't decided whether they will deal him.

Smith, averaging almost 17 points and nine rebounds this season, is prepared to move on from the Hawks.

http://www.nba.com/2013/news/02/08/josh-smith-trade-offers/index.html?ls=iref:nbahpts


A rumored list of Josh's preferred new workplaces.

Houston is becoming the new preferred destination for free agents, apparently.

According to Ken Burger of CBS Sports, on January 16th Josh Smith’s agent and the Atlanta Hawks general manager Danny Ferry had a meeting together. During that meeting Smith’s agent listed the Houston Rockets as one team that he was interested in.

“Among the teams that would appeal to Smith are Dallas, Houston and Memphis.”

Yikes!

http://spacecityscoop.com/2013/02/07/nba-trade-rumors-josh-smith-interested-in-joining-houston-rockets/

[Yungsta404]

this is old The article is new but the information is old. IDGAF where he goes as long as we dont resign him.

[HMFFL]

^
Memphis was never on his original list that he provided a year or so ago.

It consisted of the following teams:
Orlando
Brooklyn
Boston
Houston
Dallas(?)

[Hawk4Playoffs]

I think he would be great with Houston. He would work well with Lin, Harden, Parsons and Asik.

[Bickema]

Would love to get Asik for Smith.

[Geaux_Hawks]

I don't think Dallas was even on that original list also. Houston has always kind of been a place to go for Josh.

[Skyhawk1]

The Rockets have a few players the Hawks would benefit a lot : Parsons and Asik. Dallas doesn't seem to have anything we need. Memphis wouldn't trade Randolph or Gasol to get Josh, so I don't see that happening. Brooklyn has Lopez, but he's their best player now. Boston not a good trading partner. The Magic have nice players, but none that could solve our problems at the C and SF positions. I trust D. Ferry and know that deep inside he knows like we all do that the best thing for the Hawks and Josh is to part ways. I mean, right away.

[ATL Boy]

The Rockets have a few players the Hawks would benefit a lot : Parsons and Asik. Dallas doesn't seem to have anything we need. Memphis wouldn't trade Randolph or Gasol to get Josh, so I don't see that happening. Brooklyn has Lopez, but he's their best player now. Boston not a good trading partner. The Magic have nice players, but none that could solve our problems at the C and SF positions. I trust D. Ferry and know that deep inside he knows like we all do that the best thing for the Hawks and Josh is to part ways. I mean, right away.

I don't think that Houston would give Asik for Josh, that would leave them with a hole at the Center position. But I think that we could talk Memphis into involving Zbo in a trade with us, he is on the block.

[Yungsta404]

Rocket fans have said that morey (rocket's gm) isnt a fan of smoove.

[Rip2137]

Rockets and Memphis wouldn't fit because they both have those advanced analytics guys and Smith's shooting will keep them away. The fact that he has said he wants the max will keep any team that doesn't want to pay him the max away (roughly everyone in the NBA).

I still think it was a bargaining chip on Josh's camps part. I don't think they believe they can get a max deal because Josh isn't 7 feet tall so he can't expect the deals that bums like Hibbert got.

I think Josh and his reps are fully aware that 5 years 80 mill the max Josh can really get. The Hawks will come in with 5 years 70 mil and they will probably end up at 5 years 76-77 million

[lakersin4]

No Lakers on his list?

[PandaKidd]

Grizzlies want to CUT salary, not add it. ZBO is signed to 71 million over 4 years. Josh wants a max contract, wherever he goes he will demand that (not that he will get it).

Does it make sense? Houston is his landing spot IMO, they have things we can take in trade. We need another big for Josh, we cant trade him for SG or SF. Personally id like to trade for really really good draft picks but i think thats out the window.

GRIZZ say ZBO off the market

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/blog/eye-o ... ade-market

[Jamaaliver]

I still think it was a bargaining chip on Josh's camps part. I don't think they believe they can get a max deal because Josh isn't 7 feet tall so he can't expect the deals that bums like Hibbert got.

I think Josh and his reps are fully aware that 5 years 80 mill the max Josh can really get. The Hawks will come in with 5 years 70 mil and they will probably end up at 5 years 76-77 million

Writing's on the wall, RIP. I can understand and appreciate that you are a fan of Josh's, but he's still undermining L Drew in game and he's priced himself out of our range.

It's past time.

This is becoming like a bad breakup that just drags on.

[azuresou1]

Haven't heard better news all week.

Honestly I'd flip him right now if we could get a contributing expiring and a single tangible asset.

[Jamaaliver]

No Lakers on his list?

Lakers are a mess, they're capped out for seasons to come.

And they're not a contender. Hell, they're not even the best team in their own building.

[dukeknicksirish]

You wil probably get Patterson, Motiejunas, Greg Smith and a pick lol

[MaceCase]

Rocket fans have said that morey (rocket's gm) isnt a fan of smoove.

There has been one particular fan that keeps saying it but it's nonsense. Barring this season, Josh has looked good on most advanced metrics which is what Morey goes by. The only thing he would balk at is any max discussion as he's a large proponent of getting value well above contract amount.

[Rip2137]

I still think it was a bargaining chip on Josh's camps part. I don't think they believe they can get a max deal because Josh isn't 7 feet tall so he can't expect the deals that bums like Hibbert got.

I think Josh and his reps are fully aware that 5 years 80 mill the max Josh can really get. The Hawks will come in with 5 years 70 mil and they will probably end up at 5 years 76-77 million

Writing's on the wall, RIP. I can understand and appreciate that you are a fan of Josh's, but he's still undermining L Drew in game and he's priced himself out of our range.

It's past time.

This is becoming like a bad breakup that just drags on.

Nothing I said is unrealistic. Does Josh deserve or stand a chance at getting the max? NO. so WHO is going to trade for him except a team looking to shed a long term, big contract. And teams looking to shed them are generally looking to shed them because the player they are trading isn't worth it. Like, I would love to see a list of guys that a team would be willing to trade that makes this team better but they just want to give away because they won't be able to resign Josh(seemingly) because of his max contract demand.

This trade partner doesn't really exist. Memphis MAYBE to shed Zach's contract and let Josh walk, but then they have no PF and shown no willingness to spend money on getting one.

Houston? Asik is a good deal and their only true center. So that leaves guys like Morris, Parsons, etc. That said, would Houston want to let Josh walk? No. Would they pay him even close to the max after what they are going to have to pay Harden and Lin? Nope.

I have NO problem trading Josh, I am saying lets not get delusional and think there are trade partners out there. if Josh had kept "I want the max" internal, then maybe, but no team is going to give away assets to have the guy walk OR they would but the asset wouldn't make the team better.

The team should just hold on to him and use him in a sign and trade for a team that wants him but lacks the caproom. Or, hell, resign him. Either way i don't think its realistic to find a midyear trade parter for him with his contract situation and his salary demands being made public.

[Rip2137]

I think realistically a trade like Josh and Tolliver for Marion and Carter are something we could pull off and make the team somewhat pasable. marion is a better defneder than Josh(lack the monster numbers, but he is better on the ball) and Carter solves the 2 guard problem. We would be just as small with Marion/Horford up front, but Marion has more than held his own at the 4 for a long time in the NBA.

Another trade would be Gerald Wallace, marshon Brooks and Andray Blatche for Smith and Jenkins(don't think Jersy would bite though). Solves every issue at three positions on this team even if you have to over pay Gerald wallace for 4 years. You have your starting 4-3 and you can either start Brooks or bring him off the bench as super sub.

Or, of course, my favorite, just trade smith for Jefferson and hope jefferson doesn't want another max deal.


There are trades to be made, I just don't think there is a particularly good one or realistic one out there.

[MaceCase]

Has it ever occurred to you that his max demand is only levied at the Hawks? As in "this is the amount it would take to make it worth my while to stay"? Having a concurrent list of places he'd like to go in addition to making a max demand gives you a sense that he wouldn't mind taking less to go elsewhere.

What that means, of course, is that a sign and trade is unlikely. It doesn't afford Josh any benefit and besides Memphis, none of his preferred destinations require cap to sign him.

Given that he's had discussions with the Hawks already about getting a max and they said no, how likely is he to now resign for less? We could see another situation such as with Louis where he didn't get what he thought he was worth but with the actual offers being within reach of each other he decided that comfort beat out a few extra mil or to stay in Philly.