ESPN Marc Stein: Rockets long known to be Josh Smith fans

I don't think we need to worry about that happening (D-Mo being traded). As far as Jones, I think there is a very small possibility.

 

Paul Millsap is pretty much just as good as Josh Smith, but cheaper. Redick is obviously a role player, but would fit in at PG very well.

 

May need to add Greg Smith too.

 

Why do you agree Dwight is hurting a second team? He never promised to re-up with LA after they traded for him. That was as big of a risk as any other teams. Why should LA automatically believe they'd re-sign him just because they are LA. **** LA. If he really is hurting him by leaving to us, then **** YA. Dwight would go up so many points for sticking it to the Lakers of all teams.

If you mean hurting them by playing unlike we know he can. He's hurt. He needed this season to rest, but being on that team with those other players put pressure on him to keep playing. He needs time the city and Kobe won't give him. Its majority fault of the coaching system and Kobe having everyone stand around while he goes hero mode.

I'll welcome Dwight with open arms while wearing a **** LA t-shirt and trolling their boards. Asik can be used in a trade for more pieces.

BTW, Asik and Love would be amazing. But, it's not happening while he's under contract. He will opt out in the summer of 2015. Are you willing to wait that long? Lin and Asik will be gone too so we will have TONS of space i believe.

 

Isn't Milsap only 6' 6"? Smith is 6' 10".

 

Height isn't a barometer for talent.

Anyway, Smith is one inch taller than Millsap and a one inch higher standing reach, while Millsap has a one inch longer wingspan.

 

What about the ups, though?

 

Would love to have him but not for max. Too much of an opportunity cost.

 

I like Josh Smith, and think he could be a solid fit here, but he's vastly overrated as a player - and thus he'll likely be overpaid for the impact he actually makes.

Win Shares is a telling stat, and you'd think that Smith would be 1st or 2nd on the ATL squad in WS. But he's only 4th, and actually has a negative offensive WS total, which is absolutely horrible (and very difficult to do). We all know about his TS% woes, but he also records a remarkably high usage rate, which inflates his raw stats (ppg, apg etc).

I think he's a 3rd best player on a contending team (when he's on top of his game), not the 2nd best like some here hope he is.

 

It seems pretty ovbious that a lot of teams have made an offer for Josh Smith, unless of course ATL is putting b.s. out there to drive up the price. But, it sounds to me like they're not impressed with the offers they've been getting for Smith. My question is, hours before trade deadline and they see all the offers on the table, none of which they love... Do they trade him for the best offer available or do they keep him?

 

No way is that true! 3 or 4 inches is more accurate.

 

Depends on what they project the market to be for him in free agency. Phoenix seems to be the biggest wild card here, and threat to max him out in free agency... hence the Hawks lose him for nothing. Hard to tell though.

The Hawks are probably hoping that Phoenix makes another trade first that hinders their cap space to go after Josh Smith with the max. That way they really only have to worry about the Rockets and Dallas signing him this Summer, and they might just hold onto him to take a gamble that he re-signs if they hold his bird rights.

In a perfect world for the Hawks, they would love to retain him on the type of salary he is worth... which is 8 to 10 mil a year most likely for 4 years. If they can eliminate the competition on the market for him next Summer, it significantly drives down the price to a reasonable number. Signing him for the max would be a huge mistake financially for the Hawks, and Danny Ferry knows this. Which is why they are waiting very patiently to play their cards right.

Right now, they are probably hoping for a Phoenix trade that will tie up their cap space. At the same time, using Brooklyn, Celtics, etc. as leverage to drive up the price in the event that they do have to deal with Phoenix.... which seems to be the team that is going to have the ability to sign him in free agency to the deal that Josh Smith is asking.

 

To piggy back on my prev post, the Rockets could step in at the last minute and acquire Josh Smith at any time. Mostly because if Morey calls Ferry about Smith then Ferry knows for sure that they are screwed and the Rockets are going to go after Smith in free agency and they could lose him for nothing.

So either the Rockets are being patient and waiting for the price to be set, they are engaged with the Hawks and its not being reported, or they clearly just do not want him.

I personally dont think they would just wait till the Summer to acquire him if they REALLY wanted him that bad. Owning his bird rights would be much more preferable to making other signings as well before you re-up him, and you also can sign and trade him if need be for assets in return. Doesn't seem like a Morey thing to do to wait and sign him unrestricted.

IMO, they have much better assets to acquire Smith other than the slew of mediocre 1st round picks that Phoenix has from other various trades if they want to give them up. Plus they have the cap space, and more desirable playing situation for Smith in Free agency. Houston could really piss off alot of teams trying to get Smith if they came in here at the last second.

If I was Morey I would call Ferry, and notify Adrien Woj. just to screw with every other GM in the league even if I didn't want Smith.

 

How can they get Josh Smith and Howard can they pull this off ?

 

I don't think there's been any indication that they haven't been impressed. They know the best offers will come on Wednesday night/Thursday, they're just waitin it out.

 

Maybe the Rockets believe no other team is going to offer him a max contract, and they are planning to, which is why they feel comfortable not trading for him now. You can say Josh Smith is not worth a max contract, but an overpaying contract is offset by the underpaying contracts of Asik and Parsons, as well as Delfino, according to their production.

 

In Morey we trust!!!! just take a back seat, and enjoy the ride. Let the magician do his magic!!!!

 

thats all we can do

 

Josh Smith will be perfect for our small ball line up... we retain the defense and rebounding even if Asik is not on the court

 

I heard that an angry Bulls fan tried to stuff a roofy in Morey's burrito around 7pm central time this evening. Said he was trying to prevent Chicago from being robbed again.