Josh Smith "lead recruiter"

[atlbraves93]

Not sure why u guys are saying we have to trade Al. After next season, we'll only have Jenkins and Horford under contract. So we can sign D12, CP3, and re-sign Josh and just put him at SF.CP3JenkinsSmithHorfordD12^God

I actually think that it would be preferable to deal Horford for a true SF if we get to this point, so Josh can play PF. Maybe Andre Iguodala (Philly is stacked with swingmen). Gerald Wallace (and probably a pick) would be another good fit, but I doubt we make another deal with the Nets. Edited July 3, 2012 by atlbraves93

[JTB]

this is great to know smith is actually recruiting players like D12. its very real he could be a hawk next season!

[vext]

Not sure why u guys are saying we have to trade Al. After next season, we'll only have Jenkins and Horford under contract. So we can sign D12, CP3, and re-sign Josh and just put him at SF.CP3JenkinsSmithHorfordD12^God

I am pretty sure it doesn't work like that. We will have Jenkins and Horford under contract, but we will have cap holds for free agents. The cap hold space can not be spent unless the player is signed by another team or you rescind your rights to the player (includes your Bird rights). The cap hold exists specifically to prevent these kind of scenarios that would allow a team to sign a player while under the cap and then go over the cap resigning another player with Bird rights. The cap hold essentially prevents a team from spending money that it is earmarked for a player it has rights to. Next summer, we will have cap holds for Teague and Smoove. It is still possible we could pull it off, but there is a better chance for us to just roll with Teague instead of CP3 in that scenario or even sign Nash for a 3yr MLE contract. That would allow us to shoot for Dwight in free agency and still have Horford, Smoove, Teague, and Nash (Nash could start or backup while mentoring Teague). Fill veterans, rookies, and Jenkins/Ivan/Scott around those players and we are an immediate contender.

[KB21]

Seriously? There are people on here calling Chris Paul overrated who also think Atlanta is suddenly a lottery bound team without Joe Johnson? Seriously?Chris Paul is worth almost 18 wins by himself. Look at the Clippers. They add him, and they were basically 18 wins better this year than they were last year. They were on pace to be 50-32 this year after going 32-50 last year. The guy is the best point guard in the NBA, by far. If the Hawks are able to land Chris Paul and Dwight Howard to go along with Josh Smith, those three alone will net the Hawks 40-45 wins if not more.

[DJlaysitup]

Smoove as our lead recruiter - after he basically said he wanted to get TF out of here last year?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQpaGWCB4Kkthere are plans in the making...and they have nothing to do with ATL getting D12.

Edited July 3, 2012 by DJlaysitup

[MrMeltdown]

Smoove as our lead recruiter - after he basically said he wanted to get TF out of here last year?http-~~-//www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQpaGWCB4Kkthere are plans in the making...and they have nothing to do with ATL getting D12.

I hope so. Hopefully, I wake in the morning to talks of Smith traded for some legit starting SF or Center talent. I am not a dreamer and don't even want to spend a full basketball season reading threads and post about Dwight Howard and or Chris Paul.

[thefloydian]

I'm probably the only one who feels this way, but I honestly don't want Dwight on this team.

This might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen posted on a sports forum.

[thefloydian]

I hope so. Hopefully, I wake in the morning to talks of Smith traded for some legit starting SF or Center talent. I am not a dreamer and don't even want to spend a full basketball season reading threads and post about Dwight Howard and or Chris Paul.

I guess I spoke too soon.

[CTann]

Hey ya'll long time Hawks and Atlanta sports fan here who's suffered through the horrendous years of Theo Ratliff, Jason Terry, Shareef, Alan Henderson, Dan Dickau, Dion Glover, Antoine Walker, freakin Bob Sura, Al Harrington, and the list goes on. I've been reading HawkSquawk for a while now and decided to make an account on draft day. Finally here's my first post...Re-sign Josh and just play the season. If we suck this year then that's alright, it won't before long. Get a decent draft pick and then sign CP3 and Dwight in next year's offseason. You're not giving up Al or Teague, just money.CP3JenkinsJoshAlD12Perhaps possibly also a good drafted prospect in the 2013 Draft.

[AHF]

I can't believe anyone wouldn't be thrilled at the prospect of getting Paul and/or Dwight. While both players have their flaws and limitations, that is true of every player in the NBA. What is true about them but isn't about all but a few players in the NBA is that they are both among the top 3 at their position and they are individually good enough to take this team to the ECF with a moderate supporting cast. Together they would put this team as a finals contender for the first time in Atlanta history. I do think we could have Atlanta fans going crazy ala the Mike Vick era as there are a ton of NBA fans in the ATL that haven't yet latched onto this team.There is a good chance none of this comes to pass (NY, CHI, and others had grand plans for big signings that didn't materialize) but the fact that the top players today like to conspire to join forces and that we have the flexibility to do that here is pretty darn exciting.

[Sothron]

This might be the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen posted on a sports forum.

Trust me I've seen worse.

[Admin]

Hey ya'll long time Hawks and Atlanta sports fan here who's suffered through the horrendous years of Theo Ratliff, Jason Terry, Shareef, Alan Henderson, Dan Dickau, Dion Glover, Antoine Walker, freakin Bob Sura, Al Harrington, and the list goes on. I've been reading HawkSquawk for a while now and decided to make an account on draft day. Finally here's my first post...Re-sign Josh and just play the season. If we suck this year then that's alright, it won't before long. Get a decent draft pick and then sign CP3 and Dwight in next year's offseason. You're not giving up Al or Teague, just money.CP3JenkinsJoshAlD12Perhaps possibly also a good drafted prospect in the 2013 Draft.

Welcome to Hawksquawk!I suppose that we could technically keep Al and play Josh at SF, which he'd probably love, but I'm not crazy about the idea of him playing there. That would be one of the sickest front courts in modern NBA history though!

[tonegully]

We need to tank this year. I want us to get in the lottery. Forget trying to win now. Keep Horford, i bet Smoove will resign now that he sees what Ferry is doing. Ferry is putting us in a position to win and land free agents. Players will go to a team with a legit plan. Come on you gonna tell me that d12 would turn down playing here for the max with Smoove AND we can grab CP3?

[Admin]

We need to tank this year. I want us to get in the lottery. Forget trying to win now. Keep Horford, i bet Smoove will resign now that he sees what Ferry is doing. Ferry is putting us in a position to win and land free agents. Players will go to a team with a legit plan. Come on you gonna tell me that d12 would turn down playing here for the max with Smoove AND we can grab CP3?

We have to wonder how much yesterdays events changed Dwights opinion of playing here. I believe the Magic GM when Dwight said that the only team he's going to sign with next year are the Nets or at least that he only wants to be traded to the Nets. Does Dwight even like CP3? How much money would he lose by playing in Atlanta vs the attention and money he'd get playing in Brooklyn (not even considering the under the table stuff he could be given by their billionaire owner).

[MrMeltdown]

Star athletes get it. They are businesses unto themselves. No-one wants to come somewhere where your competition just comes into your place of business and takes over. It is bad business for a superstar to come to Atlanta until they can get all the free-loading NY, Chicago, Boston and LA people out of town who come to a couple of games a year to cheer on the other team. How can a real superstar take the chance of looking like less than a superstar by allowing that to happen? Only way to stop it is to sell out season tickets or maybe just not sell package or single game tickets to the games against those teams and I doubt if even Lebron and Wade are doing that Miami has too much other stuff to do just like Atl.No superstar is coming here

Edited July 3, 2012 by MrMeltdown

[phoostal]

Star athletes get it. They are businesses unto themselves. No-one wants to come somewhere where your competition just comes into your place of business and takes over. It is bad business for a superstar to come to Atlanta until they can get all the free-loading NY, Chicago, Boston and LA people out of town who come to a couple of games a year to cheer on the other team. How can a real superstar take the chance of looking like less than a superstar by allowing that to happen? Only way to stop it is to sell out season tickets or maybe just not sell package or single game tickets to the games against those teams and I doubt if even Lebron and Wade are doing that Miami has too much other stuff to do just like Atl. No superstar is coming here

As a native floridian and living in Orlando the past 19 years. I will tell you as soon as the Big 3 signed in Miami they sold out all games in the first year. I'm uncertain about this year, but I would think it probably happen again this year. I know this because there was a big article in the florida papers on them cutting their staff. Once they sold out all the games they laid off all of their employees in the ticket office since there was no need for them for the rest of the year. As for Atlanta I would guess that if the Hawks got Howard this year they would come close to selling out most of their games. Add Paul next year then I think they would sell out every game. Don't underestimate star power.

[MrMeltdown]

As a native floridian and living in Orlando the past 19 years. I will tell you as soon as the Big 3 signed in Miami they sold out all games in the first year. I'm uncertain about this year, but I would think it probably happen again this year. I know this because there was a big article in the florida papers on them cutting their staff. Once they sold out all the games they laid off all of their employees in the ticket office since there was no need for them for the rest of the year. As for Atlanta I would guess that if the Hawks got Howard this year they would come close to selling out most of their games. Add Paul next year then I think they would sell out every game. Don't underestimate star power.

Damn sure don't look sold out to me when I look at there games during a week day but that does not mean that they are not sold out and the people just choose not to show up. I am not underestimating star power I am putting a lot of weight on reputation and precedent. Mia never had the reputation of letting there gym get totally overtaking.

[Guest]

As a native floridian and living in Orlando the past 19 years. I will tell you as soon as the Big 3 signed in Miami they sold out all games in the first year. I'm uncertain about this year, but I would think it probably happen again this year. I know this because there was a big article in the florida papers on them cutting their staff. Once they sold out all the games they laid off all of their employees in the ticket office since there was no need for them for the rest of the year. As for Atlanta I would guess that if the Hawks got Howard this year they would come close to selling out most of their games. Add Paul next year then I think they would sell out every game. Don't underestimate star power.

I remember that story about year 1. Last year not so much. There was talk about how the arena wasn't sold out during the playoffs with 3 stars.

[phoostal]

Damn sure don't look sold out to me when I look at there games during a week day but that does not mean that they are not sold out and the people just choose not to show up. I am not underestimating star power I am putting a lot of weight on reputation and precedent. Mia never had the reputation of letting there gym get totally overtaking.

I'm not saying everyone showed up for every game, however all the tickets were bought. You are right there is so much to do in Florida that you may not go to the games. Even though it is sold out I agree doesn't necessarily mean people are going to show up. But Miami as a business probably could care less since they got the ticket ring. I'm sure want the fans to show up but they got the money either way.

[Guest]

I'm not saying everyone showed up for every game, however all the tickets were bought. You are right there is so much to do in Florida that you may not go to the games. Even though it is sold out I agree doesn't necessarily mean people are going to show up. But Miami as a business probably could care less since they got the ticket ring. I'm sure want the fans to show up but they got the money either way.

The Heat owner did say they will be losing money this year, so I don't know what all that means in the grand scheme of things.