[AJC] Olajuwon, Murphy tutoring Josh Smith in Houston

Wow...

Why don't they focus on our team? Is Adelman and Morey scaring them away?

 

I'm pretty sure Josh Smith (a) asked them, and (b) is paying them

I dont think either of them should have exclusive loyalty to the Rockets, especially since both of their careers didnt end on good terms with the Rockets.

 

Isn't Mike Woodson a former teammate of Murphy and/or Olajuwon?

 

Might as well be the first to post the inevitable O.O.Y.A. speculation...

Our HOF'ers are simply testing the young man's character for our coaching staff. It's going to be Head + VSpan + #26 on draft day for the troublesome headcase Smith...

I keed, I keed.

 

Is he really a headcase? He's a litte headstrong, but at 21 he helped the Hawks tread water in Joe Johnson's absence. Has he gotten into any real trouble? He would be a pretty good fit next to Yao. He's a respectable rebounder and superb shotblocker. We could do worse for sure.

It is possible the Hawks would want to move him (at least before the trade deadline) since he will probably be pissed if they only make a qualifying offer and do not extend his contract. Morey said it's his job to try to put an All-Star caliber starting PF in front of Hayes. Smith would be close in the East, not the West, but a solid acquisition nonetheless.

 

smith is a first class ******* comparable to that of denniscd.

one story that comes to mind...smith was verbally belittling zaza pachulia during a game to the point where afterwards pachulia grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against a locker daring smith to talk to him now like he was during the game, and saying that if he did he would shorten his career right there.
not to mention the blog even states smith was suspended by woodson after he went on a verbal tirade against woodson during a game.

when a team as sorry as the hawks has a player with as much talent as smith...and they're tentative to resign him based on attitude issues, that should immediately start setting off alarms.

talentwise he has alot to offer. but similar to a player like artest, that doesn't necessarily outweigh the other baggage.

 

Respectable? I would say he is a great rebounder for a 3 (I know he can play a little 4 but most of his minutes are as a 3). Compare him to Battier, for example.

 

for those too lazy to click the link:

DREAMing!
By Sekou K Smith | Monday, June 25, 2007, 01:45 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Our entire focus seems to be on Thursday night’s draft, as it should be. Al Horford and Mike Conley Jr. are making their stops through town today (workouts that will be reported on by ya boy Blog Z - yeah, after a few weeks of craziness he’s back - in this space and in the paper a little later), giving us all a little more to think about before we head into the final hours before draft night.

I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember being this anxious about any draft. I mean, we’ve always got our own ideas about what might happen. But seriously, I can’t remember stressing my brain like this in regards to a draft in years. It’s probably not healthy to have gotten this wrapped up in something we’ll have no control over … whatever, that’s never stopped anyone before.

But while we’ve been eyeballing these workouts, rumors and all other things draft, guys already under contract have been putting in work. Folks have picked on Josh Smith around here (and elsewhere) for his attitude and other perceived shortcomings. And he’s wisely ignoring his haters and going about the business of improving his game. He’s been in Houston going through NBA summer school with Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon as his sensei (me thinks young fella will have a few new post moves to unleash the next time we see him in game action). Smith is also working with Calvin Murphy to refine his outside game (we can only hope that pirated copies of this workout footage finds its way to youtube). And Smith is doing it all on his own, not at the behest of the Hawks or anyone else (which I think speaks volumes about how serious he is taking his development).

He’s without a doubt the Hawks’ most pressing offseason issue (draft included), because his immediate future will impact the Hawks’ bottom line (financially and in the win-loss column in 2007-08) more than anyone not named Joe Johnson. That’s why it is so important that he do exactly what he’s been doing with his summer. Players that don’t come back with a new wrinkle to their game from one season to the next will get abused by the guys that do.

After we finish up the draft and move into the free agency/summer league phase of the offseason, I’m planning on finding my way into at least one of these summer school sessions in Houston with a larger story planned on the “Under Construction” portion of Smith’s fourth year progression (he’s working with arguably the league’s greatest low-post technician of all time people). I’m also trying to dig up information on other guys, too. Because I know he’s not the only Hawk in the lab. Other guys are putting in the work as well.

And that’s one of the reasons why I have to temper my energy and enthusiasm regarding the draft. I think it’s natural for us all to get carried away with the this stuff since we roughly a month after the draft lottery to work ourselves into a frenzy regarding these prospects. Guys like Smith, though, will have to do the heavy lifting next season if the Hawks have any chance of ending their playoff drought at eight years.

I’m not suggesting we ignore the next 72 hours of draft hysteria. Not even close. I’m only suggesting that we try and put this stuff in its proper perspective. All that preaching aside, make sure you come back here Monday evening for my thoughts on Horford and Conley (hey, I’m not crazy. I know the draft pays the bills this time of year).

 

I was actually referring to using him as a 4. He actually does better as a 4. As a 4 he outproduces the opposing PF by +5.9 in PER per 48 minutes. Compare that to at the 3 where it is +2.6. I feel that we might have to take on an attitude problem like him or Artest if we want to get over the hump anytime soon. It would be a gamble and hopefully our more veteran roster would serve him better than the very young Hawks roster.

 

future...don't bold everything. defeats the purpose of bold..

 

josh smith was at lifetime fitness in sugar land like last week, the same lifetime fitness that hakeem comes to to help some aau team.
so i guess this explains why josh smith came to lifetime fitness, if i see hakeem and josh smith working out together ill definately take pics

 

I saw them at the Lifetime in Sugar Land.

 

josh smith is a freaking monster. crazy athletic. adelman has handled headcases well. hawks are kind of stacked at the 2/3 doubt they want anything from the rox. maybe a 3 team deal

 

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/josh_smith/bio.html
# Son of Paulette and Pete Smith
# Has a brother, Walter and three sisters: Phebe, Kasola and Shanti
# Nickname is "J-Smoove"
# Favorite current NBA player is Tracy McGrady

 

Smith is my #1 pick for the position of Power Forward on the Rockets I hope it becomes a fact!

 

he's a great OFF THE BALL defender (ala the prime ak47) but he is not gonna help us the PF position. but he's a wonderful talent and can be a superstar if he gets a better perimeter game.

man hakeem is such a nice guy. he's willing to help eveyrone and anyone.

 

Josh Smith is an ******* on the Hawks becasue he has no one there to respect. JJ is their leader for christ sake and hes only 25-26? And lok at their coach. Mike Woodson!

If Smith came here we would have 3 guys who would lay him out if he tried to muck around. TMAC (who is his according to that source his favourite player) Yao and Battier. Not to mention RA benching his ass for it.

If JJ came here i think he would behave and it would immediatly make us a championship contender!

 

^^

Edit i meant to say Josh Smith at the bottom not David

 

AHAHAH edit again i said david cause im in class and the teacher just called out David's name. I meant JJ!!