Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Ball Don't Lie

Fri Aug 08, 2008 12:10 pm EDT

Josh Smith signs offer sheet with the Grizzlies

By J.E. Skeets

Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace hates the Olympics. That's the only way I can explain the timing of this announcement. According to multiple NBA sources, the Grizzlies have sent a contract offer worth $58 million to restricted free agent Josh Smith. Atlanta has seven days to match. The Hawks have said they would match any contract offer to the high-flyin' Smith, though one can never be entirely sure what that sad excuse of a front office will decide. I suspect they will match — c'mon, J-Smoove is definitely worth $60 million — but I sort of hope they forget to. I mean, Smith, Gay, Mayo, young Gasol, Conley ... that's a wild pack of horses.

Related: 2008 free agency

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39 Comments

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  1. Vishal P
    1. Posted by Vishal P Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:38 pm EDT

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    I hope he stays with the Hawks, they have a bright future even though Childress left for the money so f him, Smith and Johnson can do some serious damage together, however, its just sad if Atlanta does not think its necessary to match that offer. If he leaves Atlanta will have a [profane]ty baseball team (Braves), football team (falcons) and now it'll be a [profane]ty basketball team for sure....
  2. andrew b
    2. Posted by andrew b Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:25 pm EDT

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    skeets, can you get a picture to match the quality of you're writing. i love the blog but come on with the spiked out hair, the creepy sideways stare and who wears headphones to a photo shoot? You don't write for deadspin, you write for Yahoo, look the part.
  3. Envigado
    3. Posted by Envigado Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:24 pm EDT

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    When you put it like that Skeets it almost seems like the Grizzlies have... a plan?
  4. J.E. Skeets
    4. Posted by J.E. Skeets Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:33 pm EDT

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    Andrew B: I wear headphones 24/7. How else am I supposed to listen to John Farnham's "Break The Ice"?
  5. fairenough77
    5. Posted by fairenough77 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

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    I love the idea of a Skeets photo shoot.
  6. russ k
    6. Posted by russ k Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:53 pm EDT

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    Josh Smith is a Beast I consider him to be top 10 player in the NBA with his all around ability. If Hawks don't match Mephis offer Hawks should just forfeit the NBA season because they will completely suck. They better do what ever it takes to keep Josh Smith as a Hawk. He is one of the best fantasy player and I always look forward taking him in late first or early second round.
  7. Quinton P
    7. Posted by Quinton P Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:32 pm EDT

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    If the Hawks don't match this offer I will completely disown them. I will never support the Hawks again for the rest of my life.
  8. leggs
    8. Posted by leggs Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:45 pm EDT

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    I am AMONG one of the few females that keep up with the sport in atlanta- but if the Hawks let this happen they realy do not care about the fans- I have said this so such since the play-off- that the sorry butts in the organization will mess up a good thing this year - and not payking them young gifted men what they are worth- you want them to play and keep money in your pocket - keep some in thiers. why would you mess up a good thing - who woluld have thought that the hawks would go that far. PAY THE PLAYERs--- BUTHOLES- YOU HAVE THE MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!- you wont get my dollards any more-
  9. Wally Soprano
    9. Posted by Wally Soprano Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:48 pm EDT

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    this would be like cleveland letting lebron just sign with jersey, not only are u letting the face of the team walk...what exactly are u getting in return? who does atl have in their sights to replace him? i don't know the free agent list offhand but i know there isnt anybody even close to josh smith still available.
    so i'd support u in ur ban of the hawks, that is what i did with the eagles when they let randall & reggie just walk...
  10. sportsnut888
    10. Posted by sportsnut888 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:02 pm EDT

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    Figure the Hawks to match, then either do a sign & deal (depending on their cap space) or keep Smith outright. Not matching leaves them nothing.
  11. tmcinnis2010
    11. Posted by tmcinnis2010 Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:13 pm EDT

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    I guess Chris Wallace wasn't lying win he said he was preparing for the future!!!! This move means he's commited!!! I'm A Big Grizzlies fan, but I hope the hawks at least attempt to keep him, he's probably the most versitle player in the league (in my opinion), letting him go would be foolish!!!!!!! But if he does come i'll be excited!!!!!!!
  12. dhumber56
    12. Posted by dhumber56 Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

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    Atlanta will match the offer. They are not crazy.
  13. Will D
    13. Posted by Will D Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:42 pm EDT

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    Atlanta will definitely sign him. Actually, it looks like the offer sheet was too low. If the Grizzles really wanted him they should have offered more. Atlanta could have made this offer on their own. This makes you wonder how low Atlanta's offers have been. If they were offering a lot less than that then I understand why he wants to leave. He deserves a contract comparable to the one's being given/offered to Deng, Iguodala, etc.
  14. steve L
    14. Posted by steve L Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:43 pm EDT

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    post number one... you mentioned bad atlanta teams this year.. with the braves....falcons....hawks... but you forgot about hockey... haha... thrashers suck too!
  15. Paul J
    15. Posted by Paul J Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:03 pm EDT

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    Smith is not a "five tool player", unless "not understanding basketball" is a tool.
  16. lions, vikings, and bears suck
    16. Posted by lions, vikings, and bears suck Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm EDT

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    freakin grizzlies trix are for kids
  17. lions, vikings, and bears suck
    17. Posted by lions, vikings, and bears suck Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:44 pm EDT

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    wait if he signs with them will he start or rudy gay cause they both play small forward and are like 6'9" each
  18. john
    18. Posted by john Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:40 pm EDT

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    I would love to see Smith in Memphis, that young roster with a good caoch(eventually) would come off like the Hornets!! I hope ATL keeps up the tradition of poor management descisions!!
  19. Obi Wan Catnobi
    19. Posted by Obi Wan Catnobi Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:19 pm EDT

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    more on what Paul J posted...a lot of these comments show that a lot of you can't separate fantasy from reality...meaning that you haven't seen Smoove play too often or you don't understand what works in the NBA. Yes, Smoove is super athletic and a great guy to own in fantasy. No, Smoove doesn't have much of a basketball IQ and he's often out of position on offense and defense. This doesn't mean he won't improve his understanding of the game, but even in the playoffs, there were several sets where he was just standing around looking like he didn't know what to do. Childress hated playing with Smoove because Smoove didn't know what he was doing.
  20. brad
    20. Posted by brad Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:42 pm EDT

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    if he signs with the grizz hell play pf with gay at sf and run the ball mike antoni loves the runnin game
  21. the truth
    21. Posted by the truth Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    I am an ATL fan all my life. Josh can dunk and black shots. For 10 million that might be okay, but this guy shoots air balls and have a bad temper(ex.JR Smith, Carmello) not good for a winner. Let the Grizzlies have him. If he was so good why are non-playoff teams(76ers by luck) only trying to sign this guy.
  22. zZz
    22. Posted by zZz Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:02 pm EDT

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    yeah. Smith is a pretty good player but not worth that much of money. reason #1. hasn't improve outside shooting, reason#2. he is an in between the 3 or 4 position, reason#3. can't play both positions very well at 3, he can't shoot. at 4 he can't post when he meets the duncan,bosh,kg and amare types. he can flatout swat shots,defend and dunk but they need more offense. i think Horford could have a brighter future at the 4 slot which Smith currently holds then draft a C in the future or something like it. But i think he's staying with the Hawks.
    you can only imagine how people living in Atlanta would hate their own team if they let him fly.
  23. v
    23. Posted by v Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:30 pm EDT

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    wow! how can someone say josh smith is not "5 tools nba player" the guy avg 17pts 8 rebs 3 ast 3 blks 2 stls per game. i really hope he goes to memphis with a line up of conley,mayo,gay,smith,gasol that would be young and good. really impressed with memphis going for this guy.

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Ball Don't Lie is an NBA blog edited by J.E. Skeets. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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