the Future of the Successful Atlanta Hawks depends mostly on one young man: Josh Smith

A restricted free agent is a player on a team that can listen to contract offers from other teams, and the first team has seven days to either match what they offered, keep their player and sign him to a new contract, or the first team can decide that what the other team offered is more than they are willing to pay for the said player, and allow him to sign with that team and get nothing in return, like Rashard Lewis last summer. Or the two teams can agree to a sign-and-trade, which is self explanatory.

in the case of restricted free agents Josh Smith and Josh Childress for the Atlanta Hawks, it is IMPERATIVE that we re-sign at least Josh Smith, but we really, really like Childress, and we want to keep him, but Josh Smith is far more important to the core of the team.

Let this article explain why Josh Smith is the best player of this hawks team. Smith is 22 years old, the best on-the-ball defender on the Hawks teams and one of the best defensive players in the league, finishing 2nd to Marcus Camby (34) in blocks per game(2.8 bpg) and sixth in voting of DPOY last season. Smith takes pride in his defense and inspires his teammates to be better defensively too, but don't think this kid is only good on defense. Josh Smith is the Hawks 2nd leading scorer(17.5 ppg) for the second season in a row, and is growing into one of the best slasher, scorers in the eastern conference. Not to mention Josh is also the 2nd leading rebounder (8.5 rpg) 1st in steals (1.5 spg), 3rd in assists (3.5 apg) and of course 1st in blocks (2.8 bpg).

In his fourth NBA season, Smith joined all-time greats David Robinson and Hakeem Olajuwon, one of his basketball tutors last summer, as the only players in league history to average 17-plus points, 8-plus rebounds, 3-plus assists, 2.8 blocks and 1.5 steals in a season.

Robinson did it twice and Olajuwon four times, but neither did it before his 27th birthday.

Smith is the first non-center to do it and is also the first NBA player to block at least 225 shots and make 25 or more 3-pointers in the same season. And he's had three straight seasons with at least 200 blocks and 25 3-pointers.

As bright as the present is and even brighter the future for this young athlete, many people critisize Smith for his shot-selection, and sometimes seldom use of that great slashing, driving ability in the game. He has also been critisized for getting turnovers in the game, being 6th in the league in TO per game (3.0), and leading the Hawks team in personal fouls per game. Look, if a good player on a good team is left open for a jumpshot, it is that player's duty to take that shot, teammates get in position for a rebound, and hope he makes it. As Smith is a leader on the Hawks team, as he has proved his improvement every season, and as he improves that jumpshot, he's gonna knock that down consistently. As for the turnovers, that's just part of the game, there is no specific tendency of Smith or any NBA player that causes all the turnovers, every turnover is circumstacial, whether the defender pokes the ball, it hits his leg and rolls out of bounds, or the ball handler dribbles the ball off his foot, every turnover is different. And as far as the personal fouls go, haters are being foolish in this perspective. PF's happen (whether or not it was an actual foul, Tim Donaghy), and with Smith being the most aggresive defender that he is, he's gonna get called alot. The only thing he must work on is having that controlled aggression to block shots and get steals and keep from fouling, know when to go for the ball or aim to simply alter the shot.

Every year since his rookie year Smith has improved in every catagory

Josh Smith really actually defines the Hawks on a surface level, every time an announcer says, "the hawks are a great young, athletic team" or "they've got great athleticism on that team" they are mostly talking about Josh Smith, who hasn't been able to break that label ever since he won the dunk contest in his rookie season. i had been saying for so long, WHAT THE HELL IS ATHLETICISM?! Aren't all basketball players athletes? Is there a real difference between skill and this so-called athleticism? In the way sports guys use it there is. Athleticism in basketball is swift-moving, hard-body, high-jumping, strong arming players, but they aren't great at spot-up shooting and fundamentals. The hawks team is they are DEFINE athleticism (besides ZaZa Pachulia and Marvin Williams), Al Horford was such a perfect fit for our team, but this article is to explain who Josh Smith is why he is the future of the Hawks, and the best player on the Hawks team.

Even though he ONLY averaged 17.5 ppg 8.5 rpg 3.5 apg 3.0 bpg 1.5 spg on 45% FGs 25% 3pt FGs and 71% FTs, he has more of an offensive, defensive impact than even those stats suggest, he has had several monster games to will his team to a victory, like these:

11-02-07 vs. Dallas Mavericks - first game of the season, guarding MVP Dirk Nowitzki and all-star Josh Howard. 18 pts (5/16 FGs 8/8 FTs) 11 rbs 4 asts 3 blks 2 stls Hawks Win 101-94

11-07-07 vs. Phoenix Suns - after two losses, the hawks needed a win. Smith guarding all-star Shawn Marion and even 2x MVP Steve Nash. 22 pts (9/19 FGs 4/5 FTs) 10 rbs 5 blks 4 asts 4 stls. Hawks are first team to hold Suns under 100, Hawks win 105-96

Josh Smith has gotten 30+ points 5 times
Josh Smith has gotten 25+ points 13 times
Josh Smith has gotten 20+ points 30 times

Josh Smith has gotten 20+ rebounds 1 time
Josh Smith has gotten 12+ rebounds 7 times
Josh Smith has gotten 10+ rebounds 21 times

Josh Smith was taken 17th in the 2004 draft class, also known as the last draft before the high school rule was put in place. It was a dream come true for a young man who has been born in Atlanta, grew up watching old Dominique Wilkins hawks games on film, and going to Hawks games throughout childhood and teenage years. However, his rookie season was a dream turned nightmare, with a glimmer of hope. He was 18 years old, coming off the bench behind Antoine Walker and Al Harrington, the leading scorers on the team. He was still learning the NBA game and he was still fundamentally raw, so he did not get alot of playing time at first. But, when he did play, he was always defensively aggressive and even as a rookie, developed a reputation for being a good defensive player, he blocked 144 shots his rookie season, and got 59 steals, but in 27.7 minutes per game Josh Smith averaged 9.7 pts 6.2 rbs 1.8 asts and 1.9 blocks, good enough got the all-rookie second team. But Smith's stats weren't the highlight of his rookie reason, it was the 2004-2005 dunk contest that featured many young, strong, athletic players, but none were all-stars (yet) and they were all eager to make a name such as: Josh Smith, J.R. Smith, Amare Stoudamire, and Chris Andrerson.

Josh Smith won that dunk contest with a throwback Dominique Wilkins windmill dunk from outside the paint, a perfect 50 by the judges and Mr. Wilkins, of course. This game Josh Smith his first NBA hardware and national recognition for his great athletic ability, and although the honor of winning this award is great, Smith wanted to be a player in the all-star game and be recognized for his skill. After the all-star game, Josh Smith started to improve his game, the first game being a road game against the sac Kings. In 35 minutes Smith collected 19 pts (7/15 FGs 5/5 Fs) 10 rbs 4 asts 4 blks in a 114-104 Kings win. The Atlanta Hawks, at this time, were 10-42 and one of the worst road teams in the league, due to the team leaders (Antoine Walker) not caring, and the new coach, Mike Woodson and players not connecting. But, when the Hawks finally won a road game, it was there Smith got his career high in rebounds, and defensively achored the team and led them to a win. His final stat line was 9 pts 15 rbs 2 blks 1 ast. Although there were plenty of losses in the season that would become the least wins in Atlanta Hawks franchise history, there was plenty of hope. In one of the last road games of the season, starters Antoine Walker and Al Harrington were out with injuries, and Josh Smith and Josh Childress were starters at Madison Square Garden facing the New York Knicks. Now, the Knicks were much better than the Hawks, but they were facing Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, and Tim Thomas, who were all god players. But in that overtime game, the Joshes got career highs in points and rebounds: Josh Childress 22 pts (7/10 FGs 7/9 FTs 1/1 3pt) 11 rbs 4 asts 2 stls, Josh Smith 21 pts (8/11 FGs 5/8 FTs) 10 rbs 3 blks 2 asts. That win would end up being the last win of the Hawks season, which finished 13-69, but it was a positive display of the potential future greatness of the two rookies to lead their team to a victory like that.

Supporters have repeatedly acknowledged the young players faults. This is just not enough for some. What is consistently overlooked is his production and performance despite these faults. What is also overlooked is the team itself. How poorly constructed is a roster? How pathetically coached is a team? It should be obvious when a player twenty-two years of age with so many acclaimed flaws is the second leading scorer of points, second leading rebounder, first in steals, third in assists, and first in blocks. Indeed, his field goal percentage is fourth on the team, ahead of the team’s best player. His fouls are near the top, but coupled with his defensive statistics, should indicate that he is a consistently aggressive defender, unlike many of his teammates. His turnovers lead the team. That coupled with his offensive statistics would once again suggest aggressiveness. Simple mathematics alone would suggest that the minuses do not even remotely exceed the plusses.

But it is not simple mathematics that we discuss here. Nor is it whether Smith is an inherently good or bad player. Nor whether he will ever be a star, be it in the eyes of the fans, league, or in general.

The focus is once again inaccurately placed on a player as a problem, source of a problem, or related problem. The problem continues to lie in the organization the player is in. The organization in which the player is supposed to grow and mature.

Smoove problem’s are easier to fix than his assets are to replace, thats why you keep him…