AJC: Treading water in Smith talks

[WraithSentinel]

If Ownership doesn't get Smoove sign this offseason. I will completely lost all faith in them. They wait until next year. Smoove is going to get a great offer. It is going to make it real tough to match any offer. I am telling everyone right now. The situation the Suns went through with JJ. We could be facing a similar situation.

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http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/h.../0716smith.html

Treading water in Smith talks

Agent complains Hawks not pushing to extend young star

By SEKOU SMITH

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 07/16/07

Salt Lake City — The NBA's free-agent signing period is almost a week old and the Hawks are not close to signing Josh Smith to a long-term contract extension, one of his agents confirmed Sunday.

The Hawks have until Oct. 31 to agree to terms with Smith, and fellow fourth-year swingman Josh Childress, or table the discussion until next summer, when both players would become restricted free agents.

Smith, an Atlanta native and the team's second-leading scorer, made clear his desire to stay with the franchise through whatever tumult remains in the ongoing ownership dispute. But it's unclear as to whether the Hawks have reciprocated that feeling.

"With the uncertainty surrounding the organization you would think that they would want to sign a player who has made it clear to them that he wants to be here [in Atlanta] and shown that he wants to improve as a player," said Wallace Prather, one of Smith's agents. "And it's very disappointing that they're not making it a priority."

With Smith entering the fourth-year option of his rookie contract, which will pay him $1.6 million, the Hawks still have several months to get a deal done.

If they can't, they would have to start the process all over again next summer. And if Smith continues to progress the way he has over his first three NBA seasons — his workouts this summer include one-on-one sessions with Hakeem Olajuwon and Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy — the cost of re-signing him could rise considerably.

Hawks general manager Billy Knight said the organization is committed to both players and is having ongoing conversations with representatives for both Smith and Childress.

But he also said that he wasn't anticipating "anything" and would "wait and see how things go" during the negotiation process rather than comment on the details.

"It's the normal situation," Knight said, "players wanting more than the team is willing to pay. So we'll see how things go [over the summer]. But we certainly like both players and we'd like to keep both players."

It'll cost the Hawks.

Smith could command upward of five years and $50 million in a new deal.

With All-Star guard Joe Johnson injured for the final six weeks last season, Smith took over the role of go-to-guy and excelled.

He was one of just two players in the league last year — Phoenix All-Star Shawn Marion was the other — to average better than 16 points (16.4) while also ranking among the top 20 in rebounds (8.6), blocks (2.9) and steals (1.4).

Smith also averaged 3.3 assists and finished second to Marcus Camby for the league lead in blocks. He notched his 500th career block on March 3 against New York, becoming the youngest player in NBA history (21 years, 88 days) to reach that milestone.

He was suspended for two games by the team after a late-season run-in with coach Mike Woodson in Philadelphia.

But even after that Smith reiterated his desire to help lift his hometown team into the playoffs.

"My motivation is to help put my city and the Atlanta Hawks on the map. That's it," the former McEachern High star said. "I'm from Atlanta and I love my city, my family and the people here. And we're at a great point in time, if not this year then next year, when we're going to be a factor. It's going to be our time."

[Guest GHook4]

I've said it before, if Josh Smith doesn't get an extension Billy Knight won't either.

[Hawk88]

Are you saying you still have some faith in this Ownership? Are you serious?

I get the feeling that all any of them care about is screwing each other and making a buck.

Big bunch of Aholes the lot of them. Shame of David Stern making us root for this organization.

[Seano]

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I've said it before, if Josh Smith doesn't get an extension Billy Knight won't either.

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That's assuming that it's not our ownership that's behind this. Maybe they feel they can't afford (or don't want) to re-sign him, and for all we know BK's hands might be completely tied.

It's kind of disturbing to read that article, but then again it's still wicked early in the negotiating process. These guys (Knight and Smoove's agents) might very well just be posturing, and I have no doubt that there's going to be a lot of back and forth between the two sides.

I personally believe a deal will get done....and if it doesn't, I will feel very sick.

[KB21]

I believe that if it were up to Michael Gearon Jr., the Josh Smith extension would be done. However, as has already been discussed on here in the past week, the court's decision to handcuff any moves the Hawks make that are longer than 4 years and/or put the team over the salary cap must have Steve Belkin's approval has severely handcuffed their ability to get this extension done.

Josh Smith is going to command a 5 year deal worth somewhere between $50-60 million overall, and Steve Belkin will never approve that deal.

[Seano]

It would not surprise me a bit if it were Belkin who was behind all this. I really wish that dude would just frigging disappear. He is like a cancerous growth that has attached itself to this organization, and now we just can't get rid of it. The creep just will not give up.

[KB21]

I'm to the point that I want to see David Stern step in and force both sides to sell the Hawks.

[Gray Mule]

Sadly, the court orders may be preventing the Hawks from

doing anything - Which will, if this is the case,

effectively destroy our team.

Get control of the team at any cost -

Time for someone to do something to prevent this.

Are you listening, Commisioner???

[BHayley]

Why is anyone actually surprised?

WTF is "we;re not anticipating anything" supposed to mean?

This same garbage happened with Jason Terry when it took him forever to get an extension.

THIS OWNERSHIP SUCKS. DAVID STERN, GIVE THE NBA CONTROL OF THE TEAM, THEN LET ARTHUR BLANK OR SOMEONE SMART BUY THE FREAKING TEAM.

[AtLaS]

I've been saying it since early last season, we HAVE to get Smith resigned this summer. Some team is going to offer him 5 years and we won't be able to match it because of the court order.

[Seano]

Quote:

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Some team is going to offer him 5 years and we won't be able to match it because of the court order.

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Well if it came to that point, then I guess our only option would be to trade him.

[KB21]

With all due respect to Arthur Blank, I don't want the guy that gave Michael Vick a $100 million contract to own the Hawks.

[BHayley]

Arthur BLank's signing brought great revenue to our team, which allowed us to get players like DeAngelo Hall. Arthur BLank is dedicated to winning. His Georgia Force almost won the entire championship.

[WraithSentinel]

Last thing we need is Blank running the Hawks. I like Blank but he need to get his Football team back in order. That team has going downward for the last several seasons.

[BHayley]

Falcons are fine.

We have that pathetic coach (WHO LEFT FOR A JOB WITH SEATTLE. LOL WAT A JOKE) gone, and more importantly, Greg Knapp is gone...The same moron who kept calling running plays for Warrick Dunn on 2nd 3rd and 4th and 1's, not getting the picture that against the Panthers, Dunn may not be the best option in the situation. I was screaming at the screen in that game (second to last game of the year I believe).

Vick has pretty much been vindicated, we have a great new coach, we got great rookies, and we will be the dark horse this coming year.

Add UGA Football and the improvement of the Hawks, as well as the better play of the Braves, and of course the playoff Thrashers, and this town is buzzing with some winning teams in these coming years.

[Johnnybravo4]

Quote:

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Last thing we need is Blank running the Hawks. I like Blank but he need to get his Football team back in order. That team has going downward for the last several seasons.

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Do you really want to compare the Falcons situation to the Hawks? The falcons have their own store inside lennox, they had a TV station and they have a 50,000 person waiting list for season tix. Suffice it to sat that the Hawks have never been that solid in their history.

The truth is that this is the worst ownership group ever in any sport. I long for the days of Time Warner management.

[Popeye]

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I've said it before, if Josh Smith doesn't get an extension Billy Knight won't either.

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]

It's not BK's fault, you really think that he doesn't want to resign Smoove?

It's all stupid owners, bunch of [censored] retards. Belkin i hope you burn in hell and the rest of these clowns.

[Lacsho]

Our front office situation is a big joke. We are the only team in the NBA not participating in the Free Agency. The front office will wait until the last minute, and then we'll get a mediocre player ala Speedy, and L Wright. I wouldn't mind if Blank was the sole owner. Say what you want about Blank, but at least he's the type of owner who will aggressively go after good players during free agency. Some moves are good, while others are a little suspect, but at least he tries. That’s a lot more than I can say about our current situation. I love the team, but the front office sucks.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

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Last thing we need is Blank running the Hawks. I like Blank but he need to get his Football team back in order. That team has going downward for the last several seasons.

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Well... I don't think 2 count as several and Blank does everything to improve that team; it's just they've had the injury bug the last couple of seasons. Hawks fan would be overjoyed if somehow Blank want to own this team.

[Nicholasp27]

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We are the only team in the NBA not participating in the Free Agency. The front office will wait until the last minute, and then we'll get a mediocre player ala Speedy, and L Wright.

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there is nobody to get

we are 13 deep now and just need to get out on the court and play