Atlanta Hawks looking to trade Josh Smith; Orlando Magic interested – NBA Update
The Atlanta Hawks have seemingly been marketing Josh Smith to various teams, off late. First it was the Boston Celtics who were linked with the player and now it is Orlando Magic.
Although the Celtics refused to any trade for the player, it seems that the Orlando Magic are interested in the forward.
Josh Smith stands 6-foot-9 and the twenty five year old is a strong presence on both ends of the field. He averaged a healthy 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game for the Hawks last season. The player also had 3.3 assists and
1.6 blocks a game, highlighting his all round prowess.
However, Josh Smith has shown poor decision making throughout his career. The forward has a penchant for shooting the ball from distance rather than using his size and speed to attack the rim. And to make the matters worse, he
is not good at it at all.
If the Magic coach Stan Van Gundy can somehow drill that out of the forward, Josh Smith could prove a terrific catch for Orlando. He will also provide some much needed assistance to super star centre Dwight Howard on defence.
What is yet to be decided is the player or players that the Atlanta Hawks would want in return. The Orlando Magic are seemingly stacked full of players that would represent value on the trade market, such as J.J. Redick, Hedo Turkoglu
and Jameer Nelson. However, a combination of bloated contracts and similar talent on Atlanta’s roster is proving to be a problem.
The Atlanta Hawks have good options on the wings already with Joe Johnson and Jamal Crawford. They could do with a point guard but might be reluctant to take Gilbert Arenas, a player with a huge talent and very limited output,
not to mention a lucrative contract.
Sending J.J Redick and Jameer Nelson would definitely do the trick, but the Magic then have a glaring hole in their back court. Jameer Nelson and Redick both showed throughout the season that they are capable players and even
though their performances in the playoff series against the Hawks left much to be desired, the same can be said for everyone on the Orlando Magic’s roster barring Dwight Howard.
Young forward Ryan Anderson, who has shown some ability. He could become a very good player if he toughens up and actually tries to get rebounds. He could be used to smooth any deal and make the trade happen.
The Hawks do seem determined to trade Josh Smith, if the Magic can get him without largely disrupting their back court they could become a serious contender next season.
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