ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Hawks signed troubled former first-round draft pick Leon Smith on Wednesday for the remainder of the season, saying they were intrigued by his potential in earlier stints. The 21-year-old Smith was drafted straight out of high school by Dallas in 1999. But he attempted suicide, and was arrested twice before being released by the Mavericks without making it through the season. The 6-10 center-forward signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Hawks in January, then was let go by the team when a roster spot wasn't available. He played for the Gary Steelheads of the CBA for the past month. "We were intrigued with his upside," Atlanta general manager Pete Babcock said. "He had a great attitude when he was with us. "His work ethic was terrific, and we didn't have any issues of any sort. We thought we'd roll the dice and see if we could help him become a player that can maximize his potential." With the Hawks, Smith averaged 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds in six games, but shot just 27 percent. In 24 games with the Steelheads, he averaged 16.8 points and 15.5 rebounds.
Previous attempts to rehabilitate troubled players - namely Chris Washburn and Isaiah Rider (both of whom were released) - have failed. Leon Smith, a CBA superstar with two teams, may offer some production at backup center if he sees good minutes despite his 3-11 shooting thus far.
