Is Josh pulling a Dwight on us?

[HawkItus]

Before the game Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson tried to dispel trade rumors surrounding Smith, saying "the likelihood of us trading Josh at the trade deadline is as close to zero as you can get."

Smith shrugged off the rumors after the game.

"The talk was talk. Nothing but rumors. All rumors," he said. "Unless you heard it coming from my mouth, you knew it was a rumor. I was always going to be a part of this program."

[Admin]

I don't think so, I think Josh wants to be here, unlike Dwight who is desperately trying to keep the Magic from taking assets away from the Nets via trade.

[HawkItus]

I don't think so, I think Josh wants to be here, unlike Dwight who is desperately trying to keep the Magic from taking assets away from the Nets via trade.

So was there or was there not a trade demand? Cunningham reported it during training camp from the horses mouth. So it is not just rumors, right?

[Admin]

So was there or was there not a trade demand? Cunningham reported it during training camp from the horses mouth. So it is not just rumors, right?

I think we'd need to go back and find that article from MC but I'm going to give Josh the benefit of the doubt in believing him that he didn't ask for a trade and wants to be here. Of course where there's smoke there's usually fire, but it could be that others have piggy backed off of the original article that could have just been a rumor.

[Buzzard]

So was there or was there not a trade demand? Cunningham reported it during training camp from the horses mouth. So it is not just rumors, right?

A lot of smoke and mirrors IMO. If D12 goes to NJ and they just happen to have 10 to 16 mill in available cap at the end of next season, Josh could do a hell of a lot worse ( like staying with us ) than hitching a ride with his best friend to a couple of championships.

I

[Sothron]

I'm not saying this is from any source but it wouldn't shock me if we traded Josh to the Nets for Lopez or their lottery pick. I definitely think Dwight is telling the Nets not to trade for him, he'll sign as a free agent and they can use those assets to get someone else. Like, ya know, his best friend that he's wanted to play with since both of them came in the league together. Nets can resign Deron, sign Dwight as a free agent and trade for Josh or some other guy.

[benhillboy]

Just lip service. Im sure Josh fantasizes about being with a cotender, this year, instead of waiting another year for Al to get healthy and wondering if the ASG can get anything for Slightly Above Average Joe. Wonder if Josh would remove his Hawks tattoos if he's traded?

[Admin]

I'm not saying this is from any source but it wouldn't shock me if we traded Josh to the Nets for Lopez or their lottery pick. I definitely think Dwight is telling the Nets not to trade for him, he'll sign as a free agent and they can use those assets to get someone else. Like, ya know, his best friend that he's wanted to play with since both of them came in the league together. Nets can resign Deron, sign Dwight as a free agent and trade for Josh or some other guy.

Based on what Levenson (I know I know) and Josh said yesterday I don't see that happening this year, but I could absolutely see it happen in the offseason or by the trade deadline next year if there is still some discontent within the team.

[HawkItus]

/http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2012/03/14/trade-chatter-groundhog-day/

Sekou says its all a ruse......

[MaceCase]

MC didn't initially report on it, he had asked Josh about it numerous times based on other reports and Josh pretty much went "no comment" for a year until now. The fact that they are now going through such lengths to say "it didn't come out my/his mouth" doesn't say much considering that today's athletes are very media savy and know how to put information out there without having to stand directly in front of a camera or tape recorder and say "I demand such and such to happen". Add to that that Levenson, the PR fall guy, and not Josh's good buddy Gearon was the one that came out and spoke about it is rather suspicious.

[Admin]

WOW! The biggest thing I took from that link Sultan posted (thanks BTW) is not that the Levenson / Smith statements yesterday were lies, although that is good to know, but that we can't offer Josh an extension. I may be the only person who didn't realize this but apparently since we matched his offer sheet instead of signing him to a contract ourselves keeps us from being able to extend him. That pretty much means we have to trade him in the offseason or by the trade deadline unless Josh flat out says that he will re-sign with us after his contract expires.

The truth is, Smith is a much more valuable trade piece in the summer. He only has a year remaining on his deal and the Hawks can’t offer him an extension (remember, they matched an offer sheet from Memphis to keep when he was an unrestricted free agent instead of signing him as they should before he ever had to beat the streets and find a deal).

The Hawks botched this one years ago when they didn’t value Smith the way they do now and they’ll pay for it eventually.

[Buzzard]

WOW! The biggest thing I took from that link Sultan posted (thanks BTW) is not that the Levenson / Smith statements yesterday were lies, although that is good to know, but that we can't offer Josh an extension. I may be the only person who didn't realize this but apparently since we matched his offer sheet instead of signing him to a contract ourselves keeps us from being able to extend him. That pretty much means we have to trade him in the offseason or by the trade deadline unless Josh flat out says that he will re-sign with us after his contract expires.

Lets go ahead and get something for Smith already! If we wait much longer he is just going to ride next season out and move to be D12s next door neighbor lol

[MaceCase]

Between the lockout shortened season, new CBA, Horf's injury, and Dwight speculation it's simply too haphazard to move him now for a good return because focuses are split everywhere. It makes sense that the owners (pay mind to owners because Sund's deal is over) would take it upon themselves to try to salvage his trade value moving into the summer where opposing GMs will have a much clearer view of where they are and who'd they'd move. I'd truly expect a better attempt around draft day or in FA because holding onto him till next season's deadline would be Russian Roulette.

[Sothron]

Am I reading that line correctly? Because we matched an offer sheet we can't extend his contract or offer him a new contract once this one is over?

[MaceCase]

Am I reading that line correctly? Because we matched an offer sheet we can't extend his contract or offer him a new contract once this one is over?

We can offer him a new contract once his deal is up but we can't negotiate an extension during the next season and half.

[Sothron]

We can offer him a new contract once his deal is up but we can't negotiate an extension during the next season and half.

That's what I thought. Not being able to extend him is one thing but the inference they couldn't offer him a new deal AT ALL was just wrong.

[Admin]

That's what I thought. Not being able to extend him is one thing but the inference they couldn't offer him a new deal AT ALL was just wrong.

I didn't infer that from the article and I apologize if I gave off that impression.

[MaceCase]

In the back of my head I think I know where Sekou is coming from but I'm having trouble finding the exact clause from Coon regarding extending a previously matched RFA and I'm not one to just blindly accept his knowledge of the CBA. He was extremely bad at it when he was with the AJC.

[Jody23]

Did anyone else interpret Sekou as saying the Hawks were not interested in trading Josh BEFORE his current contract expired? Does this mean the Hawks are intent on allowing Josh to become a free agent like they did with Jamal Crawford and as they will with Kirk Hinrich? If so, this franchise is screwed because I really believe Smoove is going to bounce.

[Diesel]

WOW! The biggest thing I took from that link Sultan posted (thanks BTW) is not that the Levenson / Smith statements yesterday were lies, although that is good to know, but that we can't offer Josh an extension. I may be the only person who didn't realize this but apparently since we matched his offer sheet instead of signing him to a contract ourselves keeps us from being able to extend him. That pretty much means we have to trade him in the offseason or by the trade deadline unless Josh flat out says that he will re-sign with us after his contract expires.

Hearing that Levenson was so fourthright and vague at the same time suggests to me that he was trying to polevault Josh's value.

We're not trading Josh....I mean, there's no equal value out there.

That's classic doublespeak for give me a deal that looks good and we will trade Josh.

Did anyone else interpret Sekou as saying the Hawks were not interested in trading Josh BEFORE his current contract expired? Does this mean the Hawks are intent on allowing Josh to become a free agent like they did with Jamal Crawford and as they will with Kirk Hinrich? If so, this franchise is screwed because I really believe Smoove is going to bounce.

Smoove would have to be willing to leave a lot of money on the table. If you want to talk about the similarities between Howard/Smith... Neither are willing to leave that much money on the table. Dwight will be SNTed to NJ. Then they will try to trade for Smoove.. Probably their lottery pick/Brooks/TPE.