Josh Smith trade rumors: Hawks GM focuses on long-term future PUBLISHED Wednesday, Feb 20, 2013 at 11:39 am EST LAST UPDATED 6 hours and 45 minutes ago Staff report Sporting News View Comments Join the conversation Text size A A A It's not just Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith's expiring contract that has GM Danny Ferry offering him before the trade deadline, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. True, the Hawks (29-22) have a shot at finishing in the top four in the Eastern Conference, in part because it clearly is the weaker of the two conferences. Danny Ferry has an important decision to make regarding Josh Smith. (AP Photo) But if Ferry trades Smith—and the odds appear tilted in that direction, according to the newspaper—it's because he has asked himself these questions: What are the chances the Hawks win more than one playoff round? What are the chances they upset the defending champion Miami Heat? If the answers to those questions are slim or none (and they are), then Ferry's focus needs to be on the future, which means trading Smith for young assets. But when asked by AJC columnist Jeff Schulz where he believed the Hawks are at the deadline, Ferry responded: "We're in a unique situation with the current roster being competitive, but also having good cap flexibility going forward. Like most teams, we're evaluating ourselves and looking at the opportunities that come to us, especially this time of year. If there's an opportunity that makes sense for us and for the long-term interest of the Hawks, we'll look at it closely." Writes Schulz: "Confused? Focus on this string of words: '… the long-term interest of the Hawks.'" That helps explain why Smith is on the market, with the Brooklyn Nets and Boston Celtics the most frequently mentioned trade partners.
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