At 12:01 AM this morning when the free agency period became official, Sixers GM Ed Stefanski made it clear that Philly is willing to do whatever it takes to get Josh Smith in a Sixers’ jersey. Just after midnight, Stefanski was on the phone with Smith’s representatives, trying to get J-Smoove to Philly for a face-to-face meeting as soon as possible. That conference could happen as early as tomorrow.
A two-three punch of Andre Iguodala and Josh Smith might be the most athletic pairing in the League today. But before that dream can even be seriously entertained the Hawks are going to everything to burst that bubble, as Smith’s people are sitting down with Atlanta’s brass today. When the two parties met last year, the Hawks tendered a $45 million deal that Smith turned down. But this year’s meeting has got to be completely different.
“We want to sit down and talk to [the Hawks] first and gauge their interest and see exactly where we are,” said Wallace Prather, one of Smith’s agents. “I think everybody realizes that Josh loves it here and loves his teammates and loves playing in his hometown. If everything goes well, hopefully, we wont have to talk long. But if they send us off to find another offer, then we’ll have to do that as well.”
In the new Eastern Conference power structure, teams need to scheme on how they’re going to deal with KG, Pierce and Ray. As the Hawks showed during round one of the Eastern Conference Playoffs, J-Smoove proved that he’s the closest thing to a Garnett-antidote. He did a better job keeping Garnett under wraps than anyone else in the playoffs.
It’s really a no-brainer. If the Hawks aren’t willing to throw max money at this guy, then what will get them to open their wallets? Dwight Howard? By all accounts, the Hawks management won’t let this hometown guy out of the city. Even if it means that Josh Childress has to walk - which won’t likely happen - expect Atlanta to match whatever number the Sixers offer Smith on Wednesday.
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July 1st, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Ian says:
ummm yeah no -brainer here, he is a type 5 SF with suber defensive capabilities. his offense will soon catch up too.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:13 pm
hahns says:
any team drafting a hs player in the lottery isnt going to let them walk the first time they hit free agency.
they invested a lottery pick in them and the x amount of years for their developement.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Damon says:
he can play the 3 and 4 against perimiter oriented pfs. he played well against kg. just wanna see if he really can defend great low post scorers.
he doesn’t have to, being a versatile 3, but it would be even more intrguing to me.
they need to keep him or this franchise takes a huge step back.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Diego says:
J-Smoove was not lottery.
July 1st, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Truth says:
If Josh Smith is smart, he’ll go to a winning franchise. I don’t understand this take the money sh*t! Stupid, then dudes turn 45 and theur still trying to play to get a ring. Dumb f*cks! What they need to do is go to a organization that wants to win! Take a couple a mil less! What the f*ck is a couple million dollars when an organization is paying you 10-12 mil AND trying to build a complete team. That sh*t is called GREED, and people who are greedy and selfish deserve to f*ckin lose! When Garnett was in Minnesota his dumba*s deserved to lose getting paid over 20 mil then cryin about help, no one can afford to give your stupid a*s help cause you makin all the money!
Josh be smart, go to a winner, SA, Detroit, LA, take a little less bread, and be happy winning, don’t go for the max and then b*tch about losing, (cough, cough, JOE JOHNSON), and please don’t be diluted about Woodson’s lack of coaching! The dumb dude can’t f*ckin coach, anc he will bring your improvement to a screeching halt due to his f*ckin ignorance!
July 1st, 2008 at 3:29 pm
Michorizo says:
The truth tells us what he really feels
July 1st, 2008 at 3:57 pm
liukz says:
at the end of the day the hawks played the world champs better than the pistons and lakers did
and they can only get better
July 1st, 2008 at 4:11 pm
Coop says:
hahaha good post Truth.
to be fair, when you’re old and have a talent you can pick a top team for less but you wont get a max contract so…
I think I’d think about Philly if I was Smoove; they at least seem open to spending and doing something towards winning (chris webber being a good example) whereas i’m not so sure about Atl’s management and their plans.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:39 pm
Stilts says:
Is that really a photo of Smoove? Looks like Will Smith to me…
Imagine Smoove’s D with the Fresh Prince’s O… Wow.
I think Smoove’s in the ideal place right now - there are others who can carry the offensive load and he can continue to develop a complete game in a franchise that’s shown themselves prepared to develop and invest in him so far. I’ve seen too many players on the cusp like Smoove crack when expectations are raised when they’re traded.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:50 pm
Yoooo says:
Terrible Post Truth. You ever heard of loyalty? You ever heard of earning things your way opposed to ridng on the backs of others? He has Atlanta running through his blood and he’s supposed to leave cuz some other team has a better shot at a chip right now? All of the all time greats put a stamp on an organization. The Bulls sucked ass before MJ. The Spurs won like under 30 games before Duncan got there. Dick riders like you make me sick. You probably wouldn’t claim ur daddy if ur moms new boyfriend drove a Benz hunh? Get a pair of nuts and some elbow grease and go to work on ur own path. Not piggy back off of something that wasn’t even designed with you in mind. Be a man! None of the all time greats left willingly in free agency during the prime of their careers. They may have been traded, may have even asked to be traded once things weren’t panning out in whatever city, but before that they put forth an effort to make the team (who thought enough of them to draft them in the 1st place) a winner.
And as far as money fam you would quit ur job for 2g’s more than what your makin right now, per year. For a company with no benefits at that. How you gon tell somebody to pass up some M’s? Yea iight, go head wit ya broke ass young bol.
July 1st, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Kudabeen says:
@Truth
That’s not the total truth…
Josh is young so taking less guaranteed money for a chance to get a championship that isn’t guaranteed doesn’t make a lot of sense. Big picture: The more dough you have the more secure your family (you know your kids’ kids’ kids’ will have something) and community. That is way more important. I love BBall as much as the next dude, but if I’m a young starI’m taking as much money as I can get for a team that I can see myself giving my all to (not Clippers, Atlanta, or Memphis, because they haven’t proven they want to be champions from the top down).
The KG comment was lame, in that he didn’t hold out for dough. He didn’t take that money to play for a losing team. He took it knowing that he was the main piece that they were building around. Did they build intelligently? If you were sold a bill of goods and your management didn’t delivery you don’t have a right to speak up? Teams have routinely proven that money isn’t the issue when you are serious about winning. Was the Celtics worried about Cap-Space or Luxury-tax this year?
It’s about spending your money wisely to win. You know how much revenue a Championship brings in to a team? please… That $100mil wasn’t killing wolves. McHale and his botched Joe Smith deal was more the cause of Minesota’s pains, not KG’s paycheck. I don’t remember that being factored into any box scores.
Also, anyone hear Joe Johnson complaining? Last I check the Suns are sorta disbanded and haven’t won a Chip to date…I think Joe doing just fine for now…
@Coop
That’s were I see guys signing for a chance at a Chip when they are in that Mid-30s range. When you are a young star the team pays you big bucks, make you the face of the franchise, capitalize, and you try to get to the Chip. When you are an older player, you come in as a specialist and become the piece built around younger talent in hopes to make the team better all around.
As far as greed goes, I’ll quote Jay-Z (Moment of Clarity)
“Since
I know what i’m up against
We as rappers (ball players) must decide what’s most impor-tant (Life)
And i can’t help the poor if i’m one of them
So i got rich and gave back
To me that’s the win, win”
(KG is worth significantly more as a philanthropist than Robert Horry is. That is a huge win for all those in need out there in my mind)
Check KG’s Foundations track record, see how much he invested in building homes for the under-served and under privileged, then talk about how his “Stupid-a$$” for not being merely a ring chaser. Also, KG openly on multiple occasions offered to take a cut so the Wolves could get guys. More specifically before going in to the 04-05 season, he said he would re-structure, so the team could keep Spree and Cassell. The Wolves management took the leverage they had an misused it to the point where they flipped the whole damn boat over after their most successful run in team history… Payroll is managements problems not the players…
July 1st, 2008 at 5:10 pm
Kudabeen says:
@yoooo
Vicious! LOL
But I totally agree… People always knocking guys for making business oriented moves. BBall is a tool for life, not life itself (hard for me to say being someone that predominately watch, read, and talk about BBall).
July 1st, 2008 at 5:11 pm
Dave says:
Overrated player. Signing Smith to a large long term deal is one of the riskiest things any franchise can do.
July 1st, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Desrat says:
@ Yoooo
That’s the truth there.
July 1st, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Dagomar says:
Truth, I have a feeling that a couple million dollars would mean a hell of a lot to a TON of people, and it doesn’t matter how much you make. Remember, there’s no gaurantee on this stuff. Smith could break his ankle next year and this might be the last deal he gets in the NBA.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:50 pm
tom says:
Really? hard to believe.i heard this news times from many friends playing on a tall dating site ___Tallmingle.com___,i did not believe, i think that they are know nothing but dating and love.
i am wrong.
July 1st, 2008 at 9:57 pm
doc says:
ill take him
July 2nd, 2008 at 4:16 am
heavy d says:
Dear Truth,
Look up what being a restricted free agent means. The only way Josh Smith can get to the Lakers or Pistons or Celtics would be to play for the qualifying offer of 3.2M to gain his freedom next summer and then accept a deal for what they can offer which might be the MLE starting at 6M per. That’s a heck of a lot for one guy to sacrifice and risk to get to play in one of those elite locations.
Atlanta can match any offer he gets this summer. They want him to realize how important he is before he leaves town to check out the other options out there. They’ll offer him good money, but not max because of the business implications. They’ll let him know that if someone else offers more that they’ll match it because they have no intention of letting him go. If they are going to match anything they have no problem with letting him talk to other teams, the offer sheet can set his price tag.
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:32 am
Truth says:
@Yoooo
Stupid a*s, basketball is about winning b*tch, point muthaf&ckin blank. If the company I’m workin for is a good company and another company comes to pay me more and they are a sh*tty organization h*ll naw I ain’t movin!
@kudabeen and heavy d
I feel you homie, I can understand your perspective!