Atlanta Hawks: Has Josh Smith's Time With the Team Run Its Course?

After bringing in new head coach Larry Drew to start the year, the Atlanta Hawks' 2010-2011 season ended in disappointment, as the team lost to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals in six games.

Now more than ever, the team faces questions surrounding its future, including what to do with shot-blocker extraordinaire Josh Smith.

Last season, Smith averaged 16.5 points per game, more than two points above his career average, and also averaged just under two blocks per game. Smith cemented his place as one of the best young forwards in the NBA.

That being said, both the Hawks and Smith could benefit from an offseason trade. The Hawks could receive a key player in return for Smith, someone who could possibly propel them past the first few rounds of the postseason, and Smith could benefit from playing a new role for a different team.

Yes, Smith is a talented player and puts fans in the seats at Philips Arena, but at the present time, the Hawks cannot beat the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat or Chicago Bulls in a seven-game series with the current roster.

Moving Smith is the only way that the team can make the changes necessary to propel themselves into the NBA Finals. Although, it will be difficult to find a star player at a reasonable price (I say reasonable because of Joe Johnson's billion dollar contract for the next decade).

Realistically, the Hawks should expect to receive two to three prospects in return for Smith, a move that could prove to boost the team over the postseason hump that has hindered the team in years past.

Financially, the Hawks currently have nine players on their roster that take up a total of $65 million. The Hawks don't have a lot of money, which leads to further speculation that the team is willing to ship off Smith and the two years and $25 million left on his contract.

For Smith, a move out of Atlanta could place him in a different role than that which he currently plays with the Hawks, which could benefit his career.

According to Yahoo! Sports, Smith has told those close to him that he is most interested in playing for the Boston Celtics, New Jersey Nets, Orlando Magic or Houston Rockets, all good fits for the multifaceted Smith.

Although Smith has meant a lot to the Hawks organization as a whole, there is no better time than the present to ship him out of Atlanta.

The team needs to tweak their roster in order to advance further into the NBA Playoffs, and getting rid of Josh Smith is the best way to make that change.