NBA Trade Speculation: 5 Teams Josh Smith Can Help to Contend

Josh Smith of the Atlanta Hawks has been one of the many different players who have been listed as potential players on the trading block, but he has not drawn the attention of many teams.

Smith may not be a bona fide superstar, but he is an All-Star caliber player, capable of doing a variety of different things. His attitude needs some serious adjusting, but in a league filled with egos, it should not serve as a complete deal breaker for any suitors.

When, or perhaps if, this NBA lockout ever ceases, Atlanta will most likely move Smith to create some much needed salary cap space. And when all is said and done, there should be a number of organizations who inquired about Smith’s availability.

Smith is no Dwight Howard or Chris Paul, but he is still a young and budding athlete. He is someone that a number of teams could use to push their performance to the next level.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at five teams that could most use Smith’s services.

Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic should come as no surprise as a team that could desperately use Smith’s services.

Dwight Howard can become an unrestricted free agent after this season, and Orlando needs to acquire a player, or two, who can help convince Howard the Magic are legitimate title contenders. Orlando attempted to do just this when they traded for Gilbert Arenas and Hedo Turkoglu last year but failed miserably.

Arenas is a shell of his former self, and Turkoglu is nothing more than a solid bench player now. The only difference in the Magic now is their salary cap room is thinner.

Smith would be a great player to bring in to pair alongside Howard. Last season, Smith averaged 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game. He is a very versatile forward and values the art of defense, which would compliment Howard perfectly.

Smith alone may not be enough to keep Howard, but he is a good start. The Hawks would probably be willing to part with Smith for a fairly low cost because any move involving Smith will be purely salary cap motivated.

If the Magic continue to let Howard and his 22.9 points, 14.1 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game play without a premiere level partner, the star center won’t be in Orlando much longer.

Smith would be a sign of hope for just the opposite occurrence.

New Jersey Nets

Deron Williams and the New Jersey Nets have a very bright future ahead of them, if the star point guard decides to stay that is.

New Jersey took an enormous, albeit necessary, risk when they agreed to acquire Williams without any guarantee that he would sign a contract extension. The Nets could get burned in this situation come next summer, but they had little to lose and are now relevant once again, justifying such a move.

The task at hand now for New Jersey though is to ensure Williams wants to be part of this organization long term. And how can they do that?

A strong supporting cast is how. The Nets are in good shape with the up and coming Brook Lopez, but they need that extra weapon that can play effectively on both sides of the ball, and Smith would provide just that.

Smith’s 16.5 points per game are proof he can score, and his 8.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game make his commitment to defense evident. He could be just the push Williams and the Nets need to propel themselves to the near top of the East.

But wait, there's more. While a low post combo of Smith and Lopez would be fantastic, think of how good a Howard and Smith combo would be.

The Nets will be major players in the Howard sweepstakes, and Smith makes their team look not only more appealing to Williams but to Howard as well.

And that is something owner Mikihail Prokhorov and the rest of the Nets will be very interested in.

Denver Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets are likely to part ways with one egotistical player in J.R. Smith, but it would be wise of them to explore the option of bringing in another one in Josh Smith.

Why?

There is a very real possibility that Kenyon Martin will no longer be a Nugget, and while there is less of a possibility of Nene leaving, there is a still a good chance he may. Smith would fill some of the void left by either of those players, both in terms of offense and defense.

Smith is known as a capable scorer, but he is an underrated defender. His aggressive style allows him to defend players much stronger and taller than he is. His attitude may prove to be an issue for Denver, but they might be willing to overlook that in exchange for all the statistics he brings to the table.

Additionally, a combination of him, Italian prodigy Danilo Gallinari and point guard Ty Lawson could prove to be quite a force. All three are solid on both ends of the floor and give the Nuggets a fighting chance in the highly competitive Western Conference.

Who knows, maybe as Smith matures, his attitude will improve, but regardless, he is a player who can seriously help the Nuggets stay relevant.

Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks may come as a surprise to some as making this list, but with the possibility of losing Tyson Chandler very much alive, Smith would be a solid option to explore.

Additionally, the Mavericks seem to become relevant in any trade talks involving an impact player, so the suggestion is not completely unfounded.

Smith would help alleviate the defensive and rebounding void left by Chandler, as well as add some offensive scoring power. He has some range and is a terrific low post player. And if Chandler decides to stay in Dallas, then Smith could just serve as the cherry on top.

The prospect of Smith and Dirk Nowitzki on the floor at the same time may discourage some from endorsing this scenario, but there was a time where many believed that Jason Terry and Jason Kidd could not play together.

And one NBA title later, look at how that worked out.

Chicago Bulls

After a below average playoff performance, Carlos Boozer may have fallen out of favor with the Chicago Bulls, and Smith could serve as a perfect replacement.

Like Boozer, Smith is a more than capable scorer. He can post up as long as take guys off the dribble. He does not have bad range either.

Unlike Boozer though, Smith is an avid defender and could really help Chicago with defending both elusive and overpowering low post players. He is also a great rebounder, meaning the Bulls would not miss a beat without Boozer.

It is unlikely that the Hawks would agree to a straight up swap because they want to cut payroll, but Chicago is more than capable at finding a suitor for Boozer.

And when they do, an inquiry to Atlanta regarding what it would take to bring Smith to the Windy City will be made.