Josh Smith May Not Be Moving After All

With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the man sitting at the poker table holding all the cards is first year Hawks GM Danny Ferry. It is no secret the Hawks having been looking to move Josh Smith, but he is not the only one that could go by the 21st. Five other players, including Kyle Korver, Anthony Morrow, Anthony Toliver, Zaza Pachula, and Devin Harris, have expiring contracts, and as Ferry showed with the Joe Johnson deal, he’s not afraid to move anyone. The rumors surrounding Josh Smith have been plenty, but none so far have come to fruition. Most likely, the Hawks aren’t going to be able to move him and are going to get nothing for him when he leaves as a free-agent this summer, and here’s why.

Josh Smith may want out of Atlanta, but his attitude could keep him right where he is. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-USA TODAY SportsThe biggest factor may be the Hawks don’t have to move Josh Smith. Yes, as a fan it would be nice to see the player that doesn’t want to be in Atlanta anymore, well, not be in Atlanta anymore, but his contract is up at the end of the season, giving Atlanta a lot of cap room to make moves in the free agent market. Ferry undoubtedly knows this, and won’t trade Smith for anything less than a deal he believes will make the team better in the future. With names like O.J. Mayo, J.R. Smith, Caron Butler, and Loul Deng potentially hitting the market, this option looks a little better.

Another factor is Josh Smith’s attitude. Just last week there were multiple teams interested in the deal, with the Suns pushing the hardest, but sense Smith expressed no interest in signing an extension as part of a potential deal, talks have cooled. The Suns, and their abundance of draft picks, and the Kings, and their stack of young talent, would make the most sense for Ferry, but since Smith opened his mouth, there is no incentive for either one to give up as much for a player they may not have next season. The Celtics were reportedly in the mix, with a possible deal for Kevin Garnett, but that rumor has been silence with the new rumor of a possible deal with the Clippers, and the Celtics saying they weren’t looking to move anyone.

That’s not to say a move won’t get done with another player. The Clippers need to make a move to get to the next level soon, because with Chris Paul in his final year of his contract, this could be their last shot. Maverick’s owner Mark Cuban has said there is no deal too expensive for his team, and the Raptors are looking to move Andrea Bargnani to improve their team in the future. The deals are out there if the Hawks want them, but don’t look for Josh Smith to be a part of it.