Another major player move in the NBA has been put to a halt when the Atlanta Hawks confirmed that they would match Memphis' contract offer to NBA rising star Josh Smith.
Josh Smith was drafted 17th overall in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. He came straight out of high school, Oakhill Academy (VA). Since then, Josh Smith has shown rapid improvement in his game. He is capable of being an offensive threat due to his high leaping ability. He is now even more feared because of his slowly improving mid-range game. He is a versatile forward who has been adding more and more moves to his arsenal. Aside from being an offensive threat, he is also a force on the defensive end. He is capable of intimidating shots with his amazing shot-blocking and disrupting passing lanes with his long arms and quick hands.
Josh Smith holds the record for most blocks by an NBA rookie. He has also won a Slam Dunk Challenge to display his athleticism.
Josh Smith averaged 17.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 1.57 steals in 81 games last season. He has become one of Atlanta's go-to-guy in the clutch moments of the game. He is now going to be given the responsibility of being a team leader along with Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson. He will also be teaming up with lottery pick Marvin Williams and one of last years runners-up in the NBA Rookie of the Year race, Al Horford. Unfortunately, the Hawks have lost their explosive 6th man to a European team.
Now that the Hawks have assured themselves of keeping Josh Smith in the lineup, they will be looking to further improve their present roster. They will look to complete another team that almost beat the number one seeded NBA Champion Boston Celtics in last year's first round matchup.
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