Mr.Bottomtooth
07-03-2008, 10:07 AM
http://www.ajc.com/services/content/sports/hawks/stories/2008/07/02/joshsmith_0703.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=21
Hawks' Smith 'impressed' by visit with Sixers
Philly going after both of Atlanta's free-agent Joshes
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/02/08
The Philadelphia 76ers rolled out the red carpet for Hawks forward Josh Smith on Wednesday, complete with limousine rides, a guided tour of not only their facilities but much of the city of Brotherly Love and a brief meeting with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
"We had a great meeting and a great time visiting with everyone here [Wednesday], and we'll continue to talk tomorrow," Brian Dyke, one of Smith's agents, said late Wednesday night. "What I can tell you is that we're very impressed with 76ers organization and the city of the Philadelphia."
Dyke and Wallace Prather, Smith's other agent, had a lunch meeting with the Hawks on Tuesday afternoon.
Smith's highly anticipated visit to Philadelphia, on the second day NBA free agents could be wooed by other teams, is just the first for the Hawks' two Joshes.
Fellow free agent Josh Childress, whose representatives are scheduled to meet with the Hawks in Washington this week, is expected in Philadelphia for a Monday visit.
His Washington-based agent, Jim Tanner, said the interest in his client has grown steadily since the start of free agency Tuesday.
"We're extremely pleased with the broad and enthusiastic interest in Josh from a number of teams around the league," Tanner said, declining to name any of the teams or the number of teams. "We're in the process of setting up meetings in several places. But I don't think it's any secret that Josh wants to find the best fit, be it in Atlanta or elsewhere."
The 76ers, armed with more than $11 million in available cap space, are making a play for both Joshes. They could force the Hawks to match an offer for one of them, leaving the other vulnerable to their advances.
If the 76ers use the entire $11-plus million on a contract for Smith, factoring in the allowable 8 percent raise from the base-year salary, they could offer him a five-year deal worth about $67 million.
That's $22 million more than the $45 million the Hawks offered — and Smith turned down — in October, when they had a chance to keep both Smith and Childress in Hawks uniforms with five-year extensions.
A front-loaded offer for Smith, similar to the contract the Hawks offered Joe Johnson three years ago in an effort to snatch him from Phoenix, could further complicate matters for the Hawks.
Childress could command a deal starting at the projected mid-level exception salary of about $5.6 million. That would mean over five years the deal would pay him more than $34 million with the maximum allowable pay raise of 8 percent.
Childress finished sixth in the voting for the NBA's Sixth Man Award this season. Much like Smith, who finished sixth in the voting for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award, Childress has a unique blend of skills that are in high demand this summer.
Childress saw his playing time dip this season by seven minutes, from 36.9 to 29.9 a night, and still averaged 11.1 points on 57 percent shooting.
He was one of just six players in the league to average at least 10 points and 4 rebounds while also shooting better than 50 percent (.571) and making 20 or more 3-pointers. Shawn Marion, Lamar Odom, Mike Miller, Grant Hill and Andre Kirilenko were the others.
Tanner said Childress is looking for a fit similar to the one he's had with the Hawks, who selected him with the sixth pick in the 2004 draft.
"He wants to play with other good players in a good situation and he wants to win," Tanner said.
Hawks' Smith 'impressed' by visit with Sixers
Philly going after both of Atlanta's free-agent Joshes
By SEKOU SMITH
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 07/02/08
The Philadelphia 76ers rolled out the red carpet for Hawks forward Josh Smith on Wednesday, complete with limousine rides, a guided tour of not only their facilities but much of the city of Brotherly Love and a brief meeting with Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter.
"We had a great meeting and a great time visiting with everyone here [Wednesday], and we'll continue to talk tomorrow," Brian Dyke, one of Smith's agents, said late Wednesday night. "What I can tell you is that we're very impressed with 76ers organization and the city of the Philadelphia."
Dyke and Wallace Prather, Smith's other agent, had a lunch meeting with the Hawks on Tuesday afternoon.
Smith's highly anticipated visit to Philadelphia, on the second day NBA free agents could be wooed by other teams, is just the first for the Hawks' two Joshes.
Fellow free agent Josh Childress, whose representatives are scheduled to meet with the Hawks in Washington this week, is expected in Philadelphia for a Monday visit.
His Washington-based agent, Jim Tanner, said the interest in his client has grown steadily since the start of free agency Tuesday.
"We're extremely pleased with the broad and enthusiastic interest in Josh from a number of teams around the league," Tanner said, declining to name any of the teams or the number of teams. "We're in the process of setting up meetings in several places. But I don't think it's any secret that Josh wants to find the best fit, be it in Atlanta or elsewhere."
The 76ers, armed with more than $11 million in available cap space, are making a play for both Joshes. They could force the Hawks to match an offer for one of them, leaving the other vulnerable to their advances.
If the 76ers use the entire $11-plus million on a contract for Smith, factoring in the allowable 8 percent raise from the base-year salary, they could offer him a five-year deal worth about $67 million.
That's $22 million more than the $45 million the Hawks offered — and Smith turned down — in October, when they had a chance to keep both Smith and Childress in Hawks uniforms with five-year extensions.
A front-loaded offer for Smith, similar to the contract the Hawks offered Joe Johnson three years ago in an effort to snatch him from Phoenix, could further complicate matters for the Hawks.
Childress could command a deal starting at the projected mid-level exception salary of about $5.6 million. That would mean over five years the deal would pay him more than $34 million with the maximum allowable pay raise of 8 percent.
Childress finished sixth in the voting for the NBA's Sixth Man Award this season. Much like Smith, who finished sixth in the voting for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award, Childress has a unique blend of skills that are in high demand this summer.
Childress saw his playing time dip this season by seven minutes, from 36.9 to 29.9 a night, and still averaged 11.1 points on 57 percent shooting.
He was one of just six players in the league to average at least 10 points and 4 rebounds while also shooting better than 50 percent (.571) and making 20 or more 3-pointers. Shawn Marion, Lamar Odom, Mike Miller, Grant Hill and Andre Kirilenko were the others.
Tanner said Childress is looking for a fit similar to the one he's had with the Hawks, who selected him with the sixth pick in the 2004 draft.
"He wants to play with other good players in a good situation and he wants to win," Tanner said.