Hawks To Seek Sign-And-Trade Scenarios For Josh Smith

[Jamaaliver]

The Atlanta Hawks enter the offseason with Josh Smith's free agency amongst their most pressing issues.

The Hawks will likely seek sign-and-trade packages involving Smith in order to receive assets in return.

The Hawks also have cap space and are expected to pursue Dwight Howard.

Smith will be an unrestricted free agent.

Via Gary Washburn/Boston Globe

http://basketball.realgm.com/wiretap/227642/Hawks-To-Seek-Sign-And-Trade-Scenarios-For-Josh-Smith

Not really a surprise. Just glad to get more confirmation that the Josh Smith era is over.

It is noteworthy that this is being reported by a Boston reporter. with Josh being linked to BOS so often in the past.

If we could come out of this with Jeff Green and Avery Bradley, I'd be estatic. Even if we had to take back some extra salary to pull it off.

Thoughts?
Any scenarios you guys can dream up with BOS or elsewhere?

[2Mas]

Please fellas lol. Bradley, Bass, a cap filler & #16. Sign Howard. Throw Fab Melo &/or Jordan Craw in there as well. Whatever you want.

Horford/Bass
Howard/Zaza

w/ Scott? or Resign Johnson? I'm telling you Bass is a little overpaid i know but Bradley's underpaid & it balanced out. Bass has always stepped up big games even though this year he sucked. Played great d on Melo & James. It's not like he got a 4yr deal. This year & 1 more.

Bradley can get 2 years still. & will be a nice opposite of Lou Will when he comes back. Bradley's great he's just not a pg & doc's (Please Use More Appropriate Word) for playing him there. Great cuts, athleticism. He's just not what we need next to Rondo. & To get talent you have to trade talent.

16th pick draft a wing. Trade 17 & 18 for whoever.

Teague, Bradley, Williams, Horford, Howard, 16th pick is a good start. Add a couple shooters & a back up pg & that's a legit squad.

[ATL Boy]

If we can't sign Dwight then I'd love to do a Smith S&T for Asik, it could be a package deal of Josh and Dwight for Houston

[Jamaaliver]

Please fellas lol. Bradley, Bass, a cap filler & #16. Sign Howard. Throw Fab Melo &/or Jordan Craw in there as well. Whatever you want

....meh

that draft pick sounds good, but otherwise it just doesn't make us better.

If we can't sign Dwight then I'd love to do a Smith S&T for Asik, it could be a package deal of Josh and Dwight for Houston

YES!!!

[tcorbin]

I hope Josh would take a pay cut like Bosh and decide to play with Dwight and Chris Paul with the Hawks next year, but if Dwight doesn't come, then the only smart thing to do would be just to give Josh max, because he has already proven he is an elite players, especially with a healthy Lou Williams.

But Josh has ever right to go after the money (the American dream), because unlike Rose, Dwight, CP3, both Josh and Bosh are elite players, but will not get major endorsements.

if a trade had to happen, then why not try to get 50 cents to the dollar....

-Josh for Paul Pierce

-Josh for Jared Dudley and Frye

-Josh for Danny Green

-Josh for Ilyasova

-Josh for Moultrie and #11th pick

any of those trade would still allow Ferry to sign the trio of Dwight, Chris Paul, and Korver.

[jagstang76]

I wouldn't mind getting Ilyasova and a 1st for Josh. He would be a perfect SF to lineup next to Horford and DH. He's not that great on D, but at the 3 he will have his length and rebounding will help. Even if we bring him off the bench at the 4, he will be a big contributor and spread the floor for DH. Guess we'll see.

[parson]

It's amazing, after all we heard about how we were keeping Smith to attract Howard, how we're cutting our ties with Smith before we can even talk to DH.

Did Smith ever matter concerning Howard?
Is Howard a fantasy concocted to spur ticket sales?

If Smith goes HOU (with Howard) then I hope for Asik. Otherwise (especially if we get Howard), I hope we get expirings and picks for Smith. To trade him for salaries would take away one of our 2 max FA opportunities.

[ATLHawksfan21]

I wouldn't mind getting Ilyasova and a 1st for Josh. He would be a perfect SF to lineup next to Horford and DH. He's not that great on D, but at the 3 he will have his length and rebounding will help. Even if we bring him off the bench at the 4, he will be a big contributor and spread the floor for DH. Guess we'll see.

Milwaukee's front office has made some questionable decisions in the past, but why would they give away a solid player in Ilyasova and a 1st for a player they can sign in free agency. They aren't going to give Josh a bird rights max so there is no reason for them to do a sign and trade to get him. If they wanted Josh to play SF and needed to move Ilyasova, why wouldn't they trade him to a different team to actually get something in return. Ilyasova has some value and they could actually get something in return.

I think yall are expecting way too much from a sign and trade with Josh.

[ATLHawksfan21]

It's amazing, after all we heard about how we were keeping Smith to attract Howard, how we're cutting our ties with Smith before we can even talk to DH.

Did Smith ever matter concerning Howard?
Is Howard a fantasy concocted to spur ticket sales?

If Smith goes HOU (with Howard) then I hope for Asik. Otherwise (especially if we get Howard), I hope we get expirings and picks for Smith. To trade him for salaries would take away one of our 2 max FA opportunities.

I think it's probably obvious to all parties that a Smith/Howard combo isn't the best fit. I agree with your last sentence 100%.

[tcorbin]

It's amazing, after all we heard about how we were keeping Smith to attract Howard, how we're cutting our ties with Smith before we can even talk to DH.

Did Smith ever matter concerning Howard?
Is Howard a fantasy concocted to spur ticket sales?

If Smith goes HOU (with Howard) then I hope for Asik. Otherwise (especially if we get Howard), I hope we get expirings and picks for Smith. To trade him for salaries would take away one of our 2 max FA opportunities.

This is just a "what if" thread, no big deal, so you can calm down, but yes, i would much rather have Howard, Smith, and Paul. That trio is still plan A for me.

[tcorbin]

I wouldn't mind getting Ilyasova and a 1st for Josh. He would be a perfect SF to lineup next to Horford and DH. He's not that great on D, but at the 3 he will have his length and rebounding will help. Even if we bring him off the bench at the 4, he will be a big contributor and spread the floor for DH. Guess we'll see.

Milwaukee's front office has made some questionable decisions in the past, but why would they give away a solid player in Ilyasova and a 1st for a player they can sign in free agency. They aren't going to give Josh a bird rights max so there is no reason for them to do a sign and trade to get him. If they wanted Josh to play SF and needed to move Ilyasova, why wouldn't they trade him to a different team to actually get something in return. Ilyasova has some value and they could actually get something in return.

I think yall are expecting way too much from a sign and trade with Josh.

I'm not totally sure about this, but i think if the Buck re-sign Ellis, then they will need a sign and trade to fit Josh into their cap space.

In addition, maybe the notion of aquiring Josh for the Bucks would make it easier for MIL to persuade Monta to return to the Bucks..... I think.

[MaceCase]

Yea, I think it became rather obvious after Morrow was traded and Josh being furiously shopped at the deadline that Ferry feels confident that he can make a pitch to Dwight based on actual on court production rather than friendships.

If you read up on this article from November too http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nba--what- ... 10112.html

.....Howard eventually grew dissatisfied enough with the Magic to again push for a trade, but joining Paul with the Clippers was never a priority for him. Howard didn't think he and Clippers forward Blake Griffin would play well together, sources said, and he was far more interested in joining Deron Williams for the Nets' move to Brooklyn.

You get the sense that if he doesn't think he can mesh well with Blake (and that's with Paul already there!) then how would he feel about being next to an even worse shooter in Josh? Remember, he's not potentially coming here to hang out, he's doing it in all likelihood to win.

[ATLHawksfan21]

I'm not totally sure about this, but i think if the Buck re-sign Ellis, then they will need a sign and trade to fit Josh into their cap space.

In addition, maybe the notion of aquiring Josh for the Bucks would make it easier for MIL to persuade Monta to return to the Bucks..... I think.

So why not trade Ilyasova to another team for a draft pick. Why trade Ilyasova and a 1st rounder for a player that you can sign without giving anything up. They could trade Ilyasova and their first for a lotto pick. Or trade Ilyasova for a late 1st or early 2nd.

[Jamaaliver]

Boston Globe:

And the Hawks likely won’t allow Josh Smith to walk without compensation. To attract more suitors, the club likely will offer Smith on sign-and-trade deals.

It's super frustrating, because we should have traded Josh more than a year ago.

March 2012: Josh was on fire putting up incredible numbers and his trade value was the highest it's ever been. That's when this should have been done.

You trade a stock at its highest!

How the heck do we prevent an unrestricted Free Agent from doing what the heck he wants?

[parson]

Boston Globe:

And the Hawks likely won’t allow Josh Smith to walk without compensation. To attract more suitors, the club likely will offer Smith on sign-and-trade deals.

How the heck do we prevent an unrestricted Free Agent to do what the heck he wants?

If he wants a max salary, he has to be SNT'ed.
If he wants to go to a good team (with or without a max deal), he almost definitely needs to be SNT'd. I think only HOU can sign him outright and give him a chance to contend.

[Jamaaliver]

^I suppose.

But unless I can pull Jeff Green from Boston or Pau Gasol from LAL....I'm hesitant to waste too much time constructing a SnT deal instead of just renouncing his rights and signing other players outright.

[niffoc4]

1. I don't think we can S&T Josh for a 1st this year... so no #16 for Josh.
2. I'm not sure we can hope to do better than an expiring contract and a first. But that's not so bad, as the 2014 free agency is loaded with more stars than this year, so if we get one star, or no stars this year but continue to build a young core, and have a lottery pick next year (ours) plus another 1st, that could be a solid core that would draw a star or two in 2014.

Edit: By 1st this year, I mean that you can't S&T until after the draft, so any S&T of Josh will be for a 2014 1st round pick and not a 2013 pick.

[theatlfan]

I'm not totally sure about this, but i think if the Buck re-sign Ellis, then they will need a sign and trade to fit Josh into their cap space.

In addition, maybe the notion of aquiring Josh for the Bucks would make it easier for MIL to persuade Monta to return to the Bucks..... I think.

So why not trade Ilyasova to another team for a draft pick. Why trade Ilyasova and a 1st rounder for a player that you can sign without giving anything up. They could trade Ilyasova and their first for a lotto pick. Or trade Ilyasova for a late 1st or early 2nd.

Few things here:
First, It's very rare that a team can trade a player - even a decent one - with a long term contract while neither taking back salary nor giving up assets. The last time I can remember that happening was when CHAR took Jason Richardson for the #7 pick and they were soundly lambasted for the move. Even when ORL was dealing Dwight, they could only hang Duhon and Richardson and still had to take back Harrington and Afflalo. Sure, one can try to rationalize the deals with the players involved, but the fact is that cap space is more valued than you're suggesting here.

2nd, to answer the question - Cap holds. MIL has plenty of cap space, but with the contracts Ellis (ETO or PO - same thing basically), Jennings, and Reddick FAs this off-season, then signing Smoove to even a large contract would mean they'd have to renounce some or all of them even after having traded Ilyasova. The deal you suggest isn't Ilyasova for Smoove + 1st as stated, but more likely, Ilyasova + (1 or 2 of Reddick, Ellis, Jennings) for Smoove + 1st. Makes MUCH more sense to simply give up the 2 1sts (both the one received and the one going) to keep the options open with those 3 than having to renounce them. Sure, if one of those 3 jump ship, then their cap situation would change, but I think MIL would prefer to retain all what they add and add Smoove... at least for now.

The last thing here is that I have no idea why anyone would think Ilyasova would even be on the table. He (supposedly) wasn't when we were talking to them at the deadline, so why would they put him on the table now?

[Jamaaliver]

The last thing here is that I have no idea why anyone would think Ilyasova would even be on the table. He (supposedly) wasn't when we were talking to them at the deadline, so why would they put him on the table now?

Indeed, brother.

It's the same lunacy that has Dwight Howard and Chris Paul turning down more money and contract years to play in Atlanta for Phil Jackson.

We seem to be getting more and more unrealistic regarding what kind of talent we can acquire.

[ATLHawksfan21]

The last thing here is that I have no idea why anyone would think Ilyasova would even be on the table. He (supposedly) wasn't when we were talking to them at the deadline, so why would they put him on the table now?

Indeed, brother.

It's the same lunacy that has Dwight Howard and Chris Paul turning down more money and contract years to play in Atlanta for Phil Jackson.

We seem to be getting more and more unrealistic regarding what kind of talent we can acquire.

It's a fact that a trio of Howard/Horford/Paul gives all three there best chance at winning so I don't think it is as far-fetched as you think IF Howard and Paul are concerned about actually trying to win a ring. I agree about Phil though. He isn't coming to Atlanta.