NBA Trade Rumors: Atlanta Hawks Should Move Josh Smith

Now that an agreement has been reached and we're expected to get back to basketball on Christmas, the post-lockout frenzy kicks off, and the focus moves to free agency and players who could be moved.

Trade speculation whirled around Josh Smith back in June, when CBS reported that the Atlanta Hawks would consider trading him. There is no reason to believe that the potential for a Smith trade has died out.

Moving him would be the right move for the Hawks. If and when the right deal comes along, they should pounce on the opportunity to ship him out of Atlanta.

Smith has been exceptional, but the return Atlanta could get for him grossly outweighs what he can provide the Hawks.

A lot of teams would be elated to bring in a power forward who scores 16.5 points per game and hauls in 8.5 rebounds a game, and other teams will find him more valuable than the Hawks do.

Atlanta can expedite their rise in the East by parting ways with Smith.

He's a great talent, and he's only 25 years old, but his questionable attitude and shot selection make him more trouble than he's worth.

A team like the Orlando Magic, which has an elite big man, should jump at the chance to bring in Smith. He would bring more to Orlando being teamed up with Dwight Howard than he ever could being the most talented guy in the Atlanta frontcourt.

Al Horford doesn't even begin to compare to Howard, and the Magic would likely be enticed by Smith. The Magic need to do everything they can to keep Howard in Orlando. Even if they have to part ways with key contributors, making a move for a young player like Smith and giving themselves an elite frontcourt tandem would do wonders for their efforts to hang onto their guy.

It's a win-win, and with Smith's trade value high, Atlanta shouldn't hesitate to flip him and improve their team.