Should The C's Make a Push for J-Smoove After the Lockout?

[diconzo]

Josh Smith has said that he would like to play with Dwight Howard. So Orlando is going to make a hard push for him. I say the Celtics should swoop in, trade for him, and make this the favorite to land Howard.

     No matter what most people think, Josh Smith is a Power Forward. He isn't another Jeff Green. I'm not quite sure what it would take to get Josh (ATL is very high on KG and Ray, but I don't want either of them to go) and the only trade bait left would be a resigned Jeff Green, or maybe Glen Davis. Trading Green doesn't make sense because that opens back up the hole of backup/future SF. Danny would be a genius if he could pull this off, because most likely it would put us as a front runner to sign Superman. Smith does compromise some of our cap space for the 2012-13 season, but if we have our PF of the future off it, then its worth it.

[BASS_THUMPER]

his height and weight...

naw

[diconzo]

his height and weight...

naw

I heard about him being undersized but does he have a weight problem? From what I've seen/read his vertical/athleticism is his biggest selling point, also why he was the youngest player to reach 1000 blocks.

[BASS_THUMPER]

his height and weight...

naw

I heard about him being undersized but does he have a weight problem? From what I've seen/read his vertical/athleticism is his biggest selling point, also why he was the youngest player to reach 1000 blocks.

we need a banger..perk was perfect and not many out there like him..

[ms.ball]

Only if we can keep the core 4 together.
I wouldn't want to give up any of them for Smith.

[EDWARDO]

Going after this guy would be the 100% polar opposite of what we have (very smartly) been trying to do.... Not get locked into deals with boneheads making a lot of money and clearing cap space for the end of 2012. We wouldn't take this guy for nothing, let alone trading something for him.

[Bean_town fan]

Any big sorta deal like this really creates a 'stuck between a rock and hard place' kind of idea.

Essentially, you either risk cap space by adding a solid piece for the future, because lets face it, after the 11 - 12 season (if there is one) it's a definite rebuild, just an easier rebuild IF we get Dwight (I'm of the skeptical camp) or do we stay put and put all our chips on being big players in FA......

Personally, I don't do it. Because if the season starts up, why break up the team in a shortened season? Continuity would be ripped apart by adding in players at such short time AND if the lockout wipes the whole season, we won't have the contract to trade for him....

The idea of a player like Smith though, bloody tempting!

[cman88]

Smith went to high school with rondo(both were roomates) I wouldnt be surprised if Boston was his destination when he becomes a free agent...but I wouldnt trade any of the big 4 for him.

The celtics are going to have to rebuild through free agency/trades...as long as Rondo/Pierce are on the team they are never going to be bad enough to land a lottery pick(lets hope that clippers pick turns into an 11-15though)

so, we put ourselves in the race for Howard, and then if not the race for the big FA's in 2013

[diconzo]

Smith went to high school with rondo(both were roomates) I wouldnt be surprised if Boston was his destination when he becomes a free agent...but I wouldnt trade any of the big 4 for him.

The celtics are going to have to rebuild through free agency/trades...as long as Rondo/Pierce are on the team they are never going to be bad enough to land a lottery pick(lets hope that clippers pick turns into an 11-15though)

so, we put ourselves in the race for Howard, and then if not the race for the big FA's in 2013

I think Howard would be more likely to come to a Rondo/Smith team rather than anywhere else. The only way it would be possible to get Smith would be likely trading Ray, which is a deal breaker for me. I could only see this happening if there is a big injury to one of the big 4.

[slamtheking]

"make a push for"? no.

Acquire for a reasonable price, sure.  good young player but not exactly loaded with BBIQ from what I've seen.

I think all the speculation over acquiring player X as a way to lure Dwight as a FA because they're supposedly friends is a bunch of garbage.  Just speculating that Dwight becomes a FA is getting one's hopes up in the extreme.  Orlando will either resign him or trade him for the best package out there.  No way they repeat the Shaq mistake and let Dwight walk for nothing.

[Marcus13]

I'd do Green, Big Baby, and a 1st for him if that'd work 9(I doubt it)

[greenpride32]

It will be really interesting to see what type of contract Josh Smith can command after the lockout is settled. I would say he just about perfectly represents that class of players who gets overpaid to a long term contract (a young player who is good but not great; and has reached their ceiling as a pro; they are likely to get worse as their career goes on; depending on their attitude towards sport may "quit" working after getting the big pay day).  This is the exact type of contract the owners are trying to kill.

[Chris]

I have never been a fan of Smith.  However, if the price is right, he would be an intriguing pickup.  He seems like he has really matured over the last year or two, and he could be a guy who would excel with a change of systems (and PGs).

But it all comes down to the price.

[Assassin70]

I don't know.

[action781]

It does all come down to price.  If we're talking about extending him 4-5 years, I shoot for paying him $8M - $10M per year.  Is that going to be enough?  I don't know.  Could he potentially be worth more than that?  Yeah. 

But as greenpride noted, those high paid long term contracts for players of Smith's approximate talent level are the contracts that have been killing franchises over the past decade.  Anything over $10M is that dangerous territory.  I don't want to take that risk.

If we lose out on Dwight, I wouldn't mind throwing out 1 year contracts to fill all our cap space and then offer Smith a contract like I mentioned when he becomes a FA in '13.  Or also throwing that kind of contract at Smith in '13 if Pierce opts out of his contract.