NBA Rumors: Josh Smith Deserves to Be Traded Away from Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks owe it to Josh Smith to trade him away before the March 15 deadline.

Smith’s name has been thrown around in rumors for three straight seasons now, and he has recently informed the franchise that he wants to be moved in the next week in order to get a fresh start.

Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has the report.

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By the end of last season Smith wanted out of Atlanta because he believed he was singled out for unfair criticism by coaches and media. Those concerns have died down for the most part this season but now Smith believes he needs a fresh start with a franchise where he can better reach his potential on and off the court, according to one of the people with knowledge of Smith’s thinking

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At this rate, the franchise is going to lose their versatile forward after next season anyway when he becomes a free agent, so they should flip him while his value is at an all-time high.

Smith has seriously improved is stock since starting center Al Horford went down with a season-ending injury and is averaging a career-high 17.1 points and 9.8 rebounds while contributing 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.

He’s also making an effective 45.2 percent from the field while attempting a whopping 15.4 shots a game. The defense he provides is top-notch and doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.

The best part about it all is Smith is only 26 years old and just entering the prime of his career.

Smith was snubbed from the All-Star game, but scouts and general managers around the league know he is invaluable to his franchise. The suitors will be ringing GM Bill Tastle’s line from now until the deadline.

The forward is hoping that one of them should get lucky and pries him away from a team that he has become disenchanted with and doesn’t respect him enough.

After Smith's seven-and-a-half productive seasons with the Hawks, they owe it to him to finally turn the trade rumors into reality.