Could The Atlanta Hawks Trade Josh Smith?

Atlanta Hawks fans have a love-hate relationship with Josh Smith. The uber-talented forward has even said as much in post-game interviews. It showed during Atlanta’s second round series against the Chicago Bulls when the crowd at Philips Arena groaned audibly every time Smith took a long jumpshot.

That reason (among others) is why Atlanta Journal-Constitution blogger Jeff Schultz says the two sides could part ways in a trade.

The Hawks might finally be willing to trade Smith. But equally important is that Smith may actually welcome a trade. He needs a fresh start, with a new organization, new teammates and new fans – all some place far away from his hometown.

For as much as Smith is criticized, he is not a bad guy. He’s a good guy. He wants to succeed. He wants to be accepted and appreciated as much as anybody — if not more so, because he’s from Atlanta.

Smith generally is the focal point of everything that goes wrong with the Hawks, whether he is at fault or not. The scrutiny has diverted attention away from Joe Johnson who did not live up to expectations after signing an enormous contract in the off-season. With Jeff Teague having a big series against the Bulls, it could mean the Hawks put together a very nice package of Smith and Kirk Hinrich.

by Marcas Grant

Marcas Grant graduated from the University of Southern California in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism. For the past decade, Marcas's love of sports and media has taken him up and down the Golden State. He has worked from Los Angeles to Stockton and nearly everywhere in between - doing everything from freelance reporting to play-by-play announcing.