Priority: Josh Smith and Eric Gordon

[pearljammer10]

I would take gordon or mayo along with smith but i dont think we are going to get either of them unfortunately.

[Chris]

Maybe we should just draft Josh Smith to play the Big Baby role?

[RajonRondo9Dime]

Uhhh Josh Smith isn't a free agent this offseason...

[Geo123]

Uhhh Josh Smith isn't a free agent this offseason...

But we'll have more threads on picking up him and Gordon or someone like that...

[Chris]

Uhhh Josh Smith isn't a free agent this offseason...

Clearly they realized that when he plays like he did tonight, Atlanta will be jumping at the opportunity to give him away to a team with cap space this summer. 

[esel1000]

lol after watching some of smith's shots this game I dont even think id want him anymore and this is coming from someone who really wanted to pick him up at the deadline somehow...

his decision making in crucial crunch time situations is terrible, I wanted to write him a thank you card after taking that 3

[Atzar]

To be fair, Josh Smith is having to pretend to be a go-to scorer when he isn't one.  It's not surprising that he's forcing some shots.

A Rondo/Gordon/Pierce/Smith/Garnett lineup, just to play along with the original post, would put Smith anywhere from third to fifth on the offensive pecking order on any given night.  I think his shot selection would likely be much, much better.

Granted, I'm arguing a hypothetical that has no real chance of happening, but I thought it was worth sharing anyway.

[Evantime34]

If we are to get Smith it would probably be during draft time for a first. I am a huge Smith fan but I think it would be more prudent to keep our draft picks then try to pursue him in 2013.

As for Gordon I think we would have to offer him near the max if not the max to get the Hornets not to match. I've heard he has interest in Indiana. If this is true maybe we could steal Hibbert from them after they make a big offer to Gordon.

[RJ87]

Don't see Eric Gordon happening at all. Def see him signing an offer sheet with Indiana this summer, the real question is does NOH match?

Mayo is a far more likely option, and I'm def interested in bringing him here (he also seems interested in playing with Rondo and playing in Boston). I know a lot of folks are down on OJ, but he's proved he can score in this league. The thing that really intrigues me about him is his versatility on the offensive end; he can hit the 3, pull up off the dribble and score midrange, slashing and he's very capable of creating offense for himself. I think he and Rondo could be a dynamic backcourt duo.

As far as Josh Smith, he's not an FA so its a moot point. Yes, we'll have the capspace to absorb his contract but what would we send back to ATL? I think Danny loves Nic Batum and he's the 2nd guy that Danny's going to zero in on. Hard to see Portland not matching though...

[dlpin]

To be fair, Josh Smith is having to pretend to be a go-to scorer when he isn't one.  It's not surprising that he's forcing some shots.

A Rondo/Gordon/Pierce/Smith/Garnett lineup, just to play along with the original post, would put Smith anywhere from third to fifth on the offensive pecking order on any given night.  I think his shot selection would likely be much, much better.

Granted, I'm arguing a hypothetical that has no real chance of happening, but I thought it was worth sharing anyway.

No. Smith has been a chucker since he got in the league. He's been a chucker even when the hawks had Crawford with them and Bibbi wasn't decrepid.

I really don't get this infatuation with Josh Smith.

[xmuscularghandix]

To be fair, Josh Smith is having to pretend to be a go-to scorer when he isn't one.  It's not surprising that he's forcing some shots.

A Rondo/Gordon/Pierce/Smith/Garnett lineup, just to play along with the original post, would put Smith anywhere from third to fifth on the offensive pecking order on any given night.  I think his shot selection would likely be much, much better.

Granted, I'm arguing a hypothetical that has no real chance of happening, but I thought it was worth sharing anyway.

No. Smith has been a chucker since he got in the league. He's been a chucker even when the hawks had Crawford with them and Bibbi wasn't decrepid.

I really don't get this infatuation with Josh Smith.

I was pretty high on him until watching him closely tonight, he really has no clue when to shoot and when not to. There's no need to be shooting three's when you have one of the purest perimeter scorers in the league right next to you (Joe Johnson). I've changed by chance on J-Smoove. Let him go to Orlando with Dwight so we can dominate them in the 4th quarter... nobody will even have to cover Smith.

[tenn_smoothie]

why don't we focus on signing one solid free agent this summer - a guy that will fit in and will be a Celtic (not Mayo) and concentrate on our draft choices. we can't expect to rebuild all at once again like the Summer of '07.

[Bankshot]

I don't like Josh's game, but maybe Doc can do something about it.  I'd rather look for someone else though.

[LooseCannon]

Here's an example of how Josh Smith reacts to coaching:

The coach benched Smith midway through the fourth quarter of Atlanta’s win over the Sixers on Friday after he missed a 22-footer and a 20-footer after Drew instructed him to avoid such shots. Smith threw a bit of a tantrum in response. He yelled at Drew as he went to the bench and spent the rest of the game sulking and ignoring team huddles. This is the sort of thing that quickly becomes a dangerous situation for a player and his team.

But Smith, to his credit, apologized immediately after the game...

But Smith went right back to firing away the next night in Miami. Of Smith’s first four shots, one was a 16-foot jumper (he missed) and two were three-pointers that the Heat invited him to take. Smith made both threes, but he appeared to perturb Drew again in doing so. The second Smith released his first three-pointer, Drew got up from his seat on the bench and pointed to another player to get up and check in. No exaggeration here: The shot was still in midair when Drew rose from his seat.

I suspect Doc Rivers will have about as much luck getting Josh Smith to improve his shot selection about as he had reigning in Glen Davis.  The Celtics do need a big who can make jumpers, but they need someone who is good at making those shots and Josh Smith is not.

[Celtics4ever]

Smith was 5-20 last night.   Not sure he is the one I would target.