The Washington Wizards are one of the many teams being mentioned who have interest in trading for Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith. The Wizards have two big-time assets, John Wall and rookie guard Bradley Beal. Both of those guys seem to be virtually untradeable and there is no reason to think that Washington would give up either piece for a half-year of Josh Smith. The next best asset for the Wizards to part with to obtain Josh Smith is the 1st-round pick for the 2013 draft.
Washington is currently 15-36. There is a strong possibility that the Wizards pick will be in the top 5 of the draft, possibly even top 3. We would have to extend Josh Smith and when we do we would have a super-athletic combo to build around with Wall/Beal/Smith. Seeing as I don’t think any players in the 2013 NBA draft have Josh Smith’s current ceiling, I think making this trade is worth the risk for Washington.
A starting lineup consisting of the following would compete in the Eastern Conference:
PG: John Wall
SG: Bradley Beal
SF: Josh Smith
PF: Nene
C: Emeka Okafor
A core of Wall, Beal and Smith to build around for our future would be super athletic and fun for our fan base moving forward. If we can get Smith, then I definitely think we’d be a playoff team next year.
The NBA trade machine works with a trade of us getting Josh Smith and giving the Hawks our top 5 draft pick, Ariza, Crawford and Vesley in return.
This trade would do wonders for our future and make the Verizon Center an attraction again for Wizards basketball fans.
21 Comments
I certainly would like to have someone of Josh Smith’s caliber on this roster, and we all know the team is lacking “star” quality guys, which Smith is close to if not already there. However, 2 issues I have with this deal:
1.) I don’t think Atlanta would do it. Sure the #1 pick is the real point of this trade, but still I believe they can get a better deal than Crawford/Ariza/Vesely/Pick. I could be wrong, but that is my feeling.
2.) The contract next year. Smith is going to be looking for a max or close to max-deal. With the Wiz already paying Nene and Okafor huge dollars, and with John Wall coming up within the next 2 years for his extension…I don’t think this is a salary that the Wizards can take on…especially if it isn’t for a bonafide all-star that fits on the roster.
Like I said, I would definitely like Smith on this squad. But I just don’t see it happening.
I would make the trade but the Hawks will probably want a center in return so i would give them Okafor insead of Ariza
There are definitely a few different options….I just have a feeling that the Wiz are going to be somewhere near the last of the list when it comes to packages other teams can put together.
The problem with Okafor and Nene are their contracts, I agree, one of them alone is more attractive than Ariza, Crawford and Vesley as a trio but the Hawks are trying to cut salary to make big splashes in free agency, not add huge contracts. That’s why I think the deal I put together is our best offer or include Seraphin instead of Vesley.
Okafor has one more year after this year:
$14,487,500.
Nene has two more years at:
$13 million each
On the flip side Josh Smith’s contract is expiring. So I don’t think the hawks would like to take on one of our 30 year old big men who don’t have expiring contracts after this year.
I actually didn’t think of trading Seraphin instead of Vesley before. That’d actually be better than Vesley and our best offer.
Wizards get: Josh Smith
Hawks get: 2013 1st round pick, Ariza, Crawford and Seraphin
Well Ariza and Okafor’s contracts last as long as each other. I’d want Okafor as they could re-trade him easier.
I’d also much prefer Vesely to Seraphin. Seraphin actively makes D.c worse when he’s out there- he has been utterly hideous.its amazing that Crawford gets better, Serphin gets way way worse, and Craw is the pariah in DC apparently. Seraphin may set a host of NBA records involving big men, usage rates and low efficiency.
If I’m DC, I’m talking to Portland about Batum who would fit perfectly with Wall. That pick might be enough to give them a case of buyers remorse. Smith needs to go to a team with entrenched leaders so he falls in line.. DC seems like an awful choice. Especially since you’ll need to give him the full max 5 years to retain him until he’s 32. Working a Nene-Esque deal with Batum seems vastly preferable.. And as for ATL, they can get an actual expiring plus a decent pick or prospect and not have to wait a year for Okafor to come off the books.
And if I can’t get Batum or Love now? I’m waiting til the offseason and fine with not making any moves. I’m 15-36 and every one of my young players is less valuable than they were last spring. I’m fine with letting them play 30 more games with Wall and Nene in hopes of regaining lost value. There’s no rush to improve midseason, and getting Josh Smiths gun to your head in unrestricted free agency seems like a poor return for a top 5 pick.
Yeah, I could see Okafor as well. I didn’t include him because he cost twice as much but on the flip side as most of you have said he’s twice as valuable, probably more. I have no problem making those changes you proposed.
You bring up Batum and Love, are they on the trading block? I haven’t even heard a small rumor about them bing traded like I have about Josh Smith.
I mean any if us can just pull names out of a hat and say we want that player, but I’m put together a realistic option for us, not a dream.
I think we have a few good leaders here in Wall and Nene, I don’t think Smith is as bad a problem as you are making him our to be in that way. He no Blatche, Young or McGee. Smith knows how to play basketball and he plays hard.
I think we can re-sign Smith because we have Wall and Beal to run with him and Nene on the inside, we are becoming desirable for a player of his caliber or a good free agent.
As far as waiting longer on these young players go, yeah in a perfect world, I would also but lets face it we’ve waited long enough and with Webster/Ariza, Nene and Okafor, there isn’t much playing time for the young guys to show what they have and improve. I don’t think they’ve really regressed, I think their minutes have just been more limited and not consistent because we have good veterans now and last year at this time, we didn’t.
This would be a dumb trade. We need a scorer at the three position. A scorer that can shoot from the outside. Josh Smith is not a proficient outside scorer. He is very athletic and can play some defense. I would never want to max out Josh Smith. I dont like the fit with the team at all. As for the draft, I disagree, there are definitely players in the draft with higher ceilings than josh smith. Josh Smith isnt a rookie and I dont think he is going to become Lebron James in the next year. If we trade away a top five pick for josh smith he better come in here like MJ. Have you guys forgotten what happened the last time we traded away a top pick for veterans? Bad move kids. Youll learn…eventually.
Josh Smith can score, he averages more than any player on the current wizards (17.4 pts, 8.6 rebs, 4.1 ast), in February he’s averaging 21 points a game on 54.7% shooting, and while he isn’t a great outside shooter he’s adequate (35% 3 point shooter) and what he lacks in great outside shooting he more than makes up for it in other areas such as rebounding, defense and athleticism which is what meshes well with Wall’s open court run and gun style. Then we have Beal who’s a solid outside shooter, Nene from the low post, high post and elbow, and then Okafor down low.
If they made this trade, the team would have a three point shooter coming off the bench in Martel Webster.
What players do you expect to be a better forward than Josh Smith in this draft? I honestly don’t see any. Maybe you can enlighten me. Shabazz Muhammad is a scorer but he’s a tweener, undersized 3 and will probably play sg in the nba. I like him to, but I’m not convinced he’s going to be better than what Josh Smith currently is.
Josh smith running with Wall and Beal will put butts back in the seats in Verizon center the way that they were when we had Arenas, Beal and Jamison.
As for the last time we traded #5 for Miller and Foye, this trade would be totally different. This trade would be similar to when we traded #5 for Antawn Jamison and then we became a playoff team for the next 4 years and won a playoff series. Actually, the trade would put us closer to being a contender than that group even because back then we didn’t have the low post game to go with our guards and wing players.
I’d argue this trade would make us better than the Arenas, Butler and Jamison Wizards.
Danny Ferry loves expiring contracts, so I’m sure he’ll want Emeka Okafor in the deal. (Mek is a UFA in 2014) That way, he could slide Al Horford back to his natural position while playing Okafor at the 5. ATL is 26th in rebounds per game and Okafor could help them on that side of the spectrum.
Wall will be due for a contract extension, and Smith will probably get a pretty large contract to lock him up for the future. Resigning Wall + the other third year players + Josh Smith’s contract (presumably a max contract, since that is what Smith is seeking), destroys the team’s financial flexibility.
With that said, I don’t think Ted Leonsis wants to overpay for Josh Smith. I doubt Smith to D.C has any substance behind it.
I tend to agree. Financially, especially speaking after this current season, it isn’t going to work in the Wizards favor. I agree there is probably no substance behind it.
If they do any type of moves, I would expect it to me something for a player with much less “fanfare” like Markief Morris or similar player on a rookie deal that is not being utilized that much.
Atlanta fan here…Let me clarify a few things wrong with this.
1. We can’t trade for 3 players for 1. We currently have 14 contracts. The max is 15.
2. Most everything you are hearing about trade talk is coming from Smith agent trying show interest around the league to drum up his F/A value in the off-season.
3. The players you are suggesting would leave a huge hole in the Atlanta roster at PF/C. Forcing Al to the 4 and leaving Pachulia the starter at C with no real backup (don’t mention Petro…please).
4. We have a log jam at the tweener 2/3 but no true 3…Ariza is not the answer.
Nice to have an Atlanta fan weigh in on the topic…thanks David.
I agree with you that it isn’t the most ideal package. I think in terms of the Wizards, this would be the best package they could put together. But I agree Atlanta would need to take back at least one big man (Vesely doesn’t count)….someone else mentioned Okafor earlier. I think they would also want to look at someone like Seraphin in any deal. And yes, Ariza isn’t the answer for much, unless you are looking for a decent plug and play defender.
I think if you guys end up moving Smith, you will be able to get a better package then Washington has to offer.
Then we’ll throw in Okafor instead of Ariza or Seraphin instead of Vesley as I and others have proposed while discussing my proposal int he comments. If the #s don’t add up roster wise, you can throw in someone you want to trade back like Morrow or just forget about trading Crawford. We could trade our 2013 1st round pick, and Okafor or Our 2013 1st round pick, Ariza and Seraphin.
That is something that could be worked out.
Check it out win win for everyone involved, Mr. Leonsis should you ever decide to part ways with Mr. Grunfeld I’d love the chance to interview with you. here follows a sample of my credentials
Washington trades Okeafor, Websierer and Crawford along with the first round pick to Atlanta for Josh Smith and Lou Williams, (therefore giving Washington an All-Star SF as well as SG or PG to shore up the second unit while at the same time providing Atlanta quality incentives plus the ability to get rid of some of their cap space)
next since Toronto wants to get rid of Bargnani so badly, help them out with that, take Bargnani plus their 2nd round pick for Trevor Ariza and preferably Yan Vessley( but most likely Kevin Seraphin). that way not only do Wizards get a quality for that can stretch the floor moving NeNe back to C while allowing Toronto to get rid of their problem child but also get both a quality small forward to backup rudy Gay as well as a quality C for their 2nd unit.
now pay attention everyone here comes the last part of the multi team blockbuster trade
trade Toronto’s 2nd round pick as well as Trevor Booker to the Brooklyn Nets for Marshawn Brooks with that Washington gets a quality backup either SG or SF for the 2nd unit as well it allows Brooklyn to proceed with their Kris Humphries for Ben Gordon trade.
every teams happy every team gets what they’re looking for and it provides Washington a high powered, potentially defensive minded team for years to come!!!!
I don’t see all those moves happening. No way we get Smith and Lou Williams.
And the rest of the trades are something I’m not even interested in.
Rather go after Deng, Iggy, Gallo, Granger, Batum, Parsons, Dudley, Ilyasova,and Thaddeus Young, because I don’t see any of those guys thinking this is unquestionably their team. They’re not all better than Smith but they’re all better fits or paid more reasonably. It’d be way cooler to get a half-max guy like Ilyasova or Dudley, grab Jarret Jack for 5 mil and a Chuck Hayes type. That makes a mean 9 man rotation..but I may be forgetting logistics here lol.
What happens when Smith isn’t in a contract year and he starts chucking tons of long 2s while his 3pt % ducks back under 32%?
I LOVE Smith, but not on DC.. Hopefully for them, MGMT is just gauging values and seeing what’s out there. I can’t see them not making 2 more years of maxed out Gay happen only to have to make J-Smoove a 5 years/80 million guy.
Wait, are those guys available? Nice list, but i haven’t seen any word that any of those guys are available and i actually want JSmoove because he’s a big that can run with Wall. And if we are trading Okafor as most want to do, that slides Nene to center, Smith at PF and Webster/Ariza at SF. That puts Smith back at the match up nightmare for most PFs because of his athleticism.
I’m not too worried about him jacking up 3s and long 2s because he has a good PG here to get him the ball in his spots and who can drive the lane, break down the D and get Smith dunks and lay ups. He’s not going to need to settle for long 2s and 3s when Walls running the show.
I like where your head is at. I would probably pull the trigger on a Okafor, Seraphin, Crawford deal for Josh Smith. If ATL really wants our draft pick they need to either give us their 1st rounder this year or next.
A Nene, Smith, Martell, Beal, and Wall line-up would be pretty sick. Yes it would be an expensive so we would probably have to move Ariza in an additional trade for an expiring contract.
Man, I would love to see us be able to get any of those guys, with Gallo, Batum, and Parsons being at the head of the list.
I wonder if any of them at all are available? Fun to think about at least I guess.
I would love Gallo. Hes the man. Loved him on the Knicks. Doubt Denver would want to trade him though. Seems like Wilson Chandler is really who they want to trade and I’m not so sure hes that big of an upgrade over Martell
Good write up on the ANTI-Josh Smith side from Craig Stouffer:
http://washingtonexaminer.com/on-josh-smith-and-the-wizards-who-is-doing-the-asking/article/2521897