Josh Smith is among the names most frequently mentioned when discussing trade rumors most notably in association with the Lakers and Pau Gasol. While Gasol is sitting out with a foot injury, Smith is playing a pretty high level but is also nearing the end of his contract. While the Hawks don’t want to let him go they also aren’t willing to pay him the max contract he feels he deserves. So of course they’ve begun to listen to trade offers. Read more after the jump.
Smith will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. The Hawks have reportedly offered him a three year $45 million extension which is roughly half of what he can get on the free agent market should a team offer him a max deal. Rather than letting him walk with nothing in return, they’re trying to see if a trade can happen.
From David Aldridge of NBA.com:
The Atlanta Hawks are entertaining trade offers around the league for forward Josh Smith, but have yet to decide whether they will deal the ninth-year forward, according to league sources.
The Hawks met with Smith’s representatives this week, at which point the team indicated it was not willing to give Smith a max contract after this season, according to a source.
Smith, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution late last month that he believes he’s a max player, which would mean he’d be in line for a five-year deal worth around $94 million from Atlanta.
But the Hawks, which expect to be major players next summer in free agency or through trades, do not want to tie up that kind of money going forward.
Though Smith’s skills and athleticism are admirable, his hot & cold play and questionable moves might worry some owners. If they offer him a max contract he would essentially be their franchise player and I don’t know if anyone is willing to put their team in his hands.
