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Joe Johnson updates, Gasol/Josh wrap-up and what free agents (that's right, free agents) are the Hawks engaged with.
How about something in a Nice 6'8 shooting guard model?
The big news over the weekend was the Joe Johnson to the Nets trade rumors, which amazingly have not ebbed. The Nets are seriously looking at bringing in Joe to make a run sooner than later proving the old Sekou Smith adage that there is no such things as an untradeable contract.
Lest you think we're still propping up some fantasy, blog traffic driving meme, let's take you over to CBSSports' Ken Berger's Nets piece involving Joe this morning. Berger states that league sources believe "a deal has a strong chance of happening in the next 48 hours". What would it bring the Hawks? If you mean something other than the fantastic taste of freedom, here's Berger.
To get Johnson, they'd presumably unload all of their committed veteran salary for next season except that of MarShon Brooks, who they'd want to try to keep. That means the expiring contracts of Jordan Farmar, Anthony Morrow, Johan Petro and Jordan Williams would be Atlanta-bound. The Hawks might instead want one of the Nets' free agents, such as Kris Humphries or Gerald Green in a sign-and-trade, but the team dumping the most onerous contract in the league wouldn't have much room to protest.
Premature Exit Question: Do you even care what comes back, as long as it isn't cap-busting itself? How upset would you be if the Hawks didn't trade Joe because we allegedly hedged on what was/wasn't coming back?
Alright, back to the show...
Final Score from Los Angeles -- where everything is overvalued.
From the ubiquitous Matt Moore, who appears here in stuff from CBS and NBC (Eye on Basketball and ProBasketballTalk, respectively), comes some 'what planet did I land on' rumors involving the Hawks.
First, from LA, comes the final autopsy of the Pau Gasol-Josh Smith rumor. The verdict: LA wanted to much for Gasol.
Same old Lakers, expecting the highest price for whatever they've put out on the lawn.
It's not enough that they would get a younger, more athletic, more aggressive, All-Star worthy power forward entering his prime for a player that has been absolutely eclipsed in the past two playoffs, the Lakers have to demand that they get an additional piece. And in a lot of deals in the past, that's worked.
Smith is enough for Gasol, considering measuring productivity on the court gives Smith the edge in rebounding, block rate, offensive/defensive efficiency and steal rate. Gasol has an advantage in efficient shooting and would pair up great with Al Horford in a high/low game we haven't seen enough of from Josh/Al.
Still, it's a moot point if Smith is willing to re-sign in Atlanta after the season. The Hawks should focus on retaining his services or get more blown away than a team treating Josh Smith as a nice start to a deal.
Atlanta Hawks are suddenly in on every available player?
Back to Moore, who on ProBasketballTalk has a list of movers and shakers in free agency, a place the capped-out, six folks on the roster, where's the discount bin Hawks weren't supposed to be players, yet----
Atlanta Hawks
Well, for starters, they're exploring a deal for Joe Johnson to the Nets, per Yahoo. That's a pretty strong indication of where they're at. The Hawks are considered to be extremely active in the trade market, angling for a total overhaul of the team under new GM Danny Ferry. Nothing may come of it, but they're on the phone, taking calls.
They're also talking about, or to:
Danny Ferry, pretty much saying "Me, too" to any and all rumors. God bless that boy. Any Hawks fan who has been frustrated in being relegated to the back of the publicity caboose while the rest of the league got their "let's improve the team" on in free agency and trades now has someone who is willing to put the Hawks out there and everywhere.
Nice.