Insight on Steve Smith

[JTFan31]

Sup guys, I just wanted to share this with you all.

I have a friend that I have known for about 6 years now and he is best friends with Steve Smith. I would even get back stage passes to visit with Steve when Atlanta played in Miami. Well I saw my friend today and he told me that he has spoken with the Hawks organization and we offered him 1.3 mill for 1 year. Now Smitty wish to end his career as a Heat, but the Heat do not have enough funds and they were suppose to get back with Smitty's agent today about any decision. Smitty has clearly told the Heat organization that he wants to end his career as a Heat, and that he had offers from other teams which intrigue him like Atlanta.

Really is up to the Heat to put interest on Steve, if they do Steve will be a Heat and if they don't (which it seems like they don't) Smitty most likely will be a Hawk.

This is some insight I got from Smitty's childhood friend and my friend and is a very reliable source.

[chickenhawk]

That's good news JTFan. While Smitty ain't young, he led the L in trey percentage last year and will be a solid vet to have. If he can stay healthy he'd be a nice pickup.

[Traceman]

wanted to end his career with the Heat. I've always heard that he wanted to end his career with the Hawks and in fact, I've heard HIM say that one more than one occasion. Who knows though, maybe he had a change of heart.

At any rate, the $1.3 million for one year is the veteran's minimum and any team that signed Smitty to such a contract would only have to pay $688,679 of that $1.3 million. I'd take Smitty back at that price and let him mentor our young guys in the backcourt. I'd love to see us bring DJ and Glover back and let Smitty mentor them along with Diaw and Hansen. Sounds like Smitty just might come back.

[Diesel]

I like Smitty. I never wanted Smitty to leave. BUT over the past 2 years, Smitty has been on a fast decline. With us, he'd probably be our SF. That's based on our need and his speed. I don't know if it's good though. He led the league in 3 pt percentage 2 years ago, but that was WITH Duncan. Hotlanta dude can be a top 5 3pt% shooter with Duncan as his PF.

BUT...

A few months ago, Theo was begging for the vet leadership that Theo can bring. ANd I admit that we need a leader. My hope is that Smitty would work himself into a position to be a Coach (ala Porter). So just wishing... this is what we could have:

JT/JV/DD

Diaw/Hansen

Smith/CC

SAR/Hendu

Theo/Nazr

With room for one more....

or

JT/JV/DD

Smith/Hansen

Battier/Diaw/CC

SAR/Hendu

Theo/Swift

[JTFan31]

Yes I sure hope he will be a Hawk once again. I will get more info about Smitty in the next couple of days.

And on Smitty wanting to end career here in Atlanta he does, but he rather end it in Miami if not Miami then Atlanta for sure.

[Lascar78]

Steve Smith wasn't even close to leading the league in 3pt percentage last year. He shot 33%. Bruce Bowen led the league and shot over 44%. All Smith is good for on the court is shooting 3s, and he's no longer even good at that, so what's the point? I like the guy, but we should pay him as an assistant coach, not a player. His knees have simply given out on him. However, considering how little players he have, we might as well sign him over some NBDL scrub who won't produce at all. Smith shoulc be good for leadership, but I won't expect him to produce on the floor at all. We need to be a young athletic running team. Steve smith is the opposite. He'd only be good to have around for last second shot scenarios...

[chickenhawk]

You're right Lascar78, my bad. Smitty led the league in '01-'02 with 47% trey percentage. He'd be a solid vet leader in the locker room and a great mentor for our young twos and threes. Considering the lack of fa's out there, we should sign him.

[Diesel]

You said a Young Athletic team...

Let's see.

JT, Theo, Diaw, DD, CC... These guys hae a game built around running.

SAR, Hansen, Nazr, JV, Glover... These guys have a game built around a half court set.

Clearly, we haven't made a blueprint of what exactly we're going to be.

[swolehawk2]

I think you can include Hansen, JV and Glover in the running team category. Matter of fact, JV and Glove are probably better in transition than in half court.

[Lascar78]

IMO everyone fits into a running team except for Nazr. JV, Hansen, Glove are all runners, and Reef can run just fine even though he likes the half court. Besides, when you don't have too much talent, your odds of succeding are better at making your team step up their D and run than they are when you try to take it to your opponents in the halfcourt set.

[Diesel]

No... I have to disagree.

Glove and Hansen are classic Slashers. If you watch Glover play, you hardly ever see him make a good decision on the break. Being a running team means that you can make the 2nd or 3rd pass in a 4 pass break. I just don't see Glover being a running team type Gaurd. Glover is the Power Gaurd. From what I've seen of Hansen he is also a slashing Gaurd that can finish strong and shoot the three.

If Reef were more comfortable running then this team would have been a playoff team 2 years ago.

When I think of a running team, I think of LAC 2 yrs ago. A team where ever possession is a fast break.

What we have now is tweener status. We are not defined to run. Mainly because even though JT is fast, he doesn't make good decisions on the break.