Monday, August 11, 2008

Hawks Match Memphis Offer for Smith---Hawks Nation Can Rest Easy--For Now

It what seemed like a millisecond, the Hawks matched the 5 year, 58 million dollar offer sheet that the Memphis Grizzlies offered to Josh Smith last week.

So they have that going for them, which is nice.

Forgive the HHB for snoozing on the signing later on Friday night, but even the most tenacious Hawks watchers leave the nest for a while, and the HHB is on vacation until the 18th---a usually safe time to take a break, as most Bird Watchers know.

However, we will be back with analysis and angles on what this means for the team---and whether it was the right price for the right talent.

For now, however, we leave the Hawks Nation with a trailer from another famous vacationing soul, the inimitable Axel Foley, who the Beverly Hills Cops know is "ON VACATION!"

Friday, August 8, 2008

Thank You, Memphis! Grizzlies Offer Josh Smith

Hard to believe, but just as the HHB was settling in for a summertime slumber, it got all Christmas time on us and something has actually happened on the Josh Smith front.

Call it a favor or call it for real, but the Memphis Grizzlies have apparently decided "What the Heck?" and signed Josh Smith to a 5 year, 58 million dollar offer sheet according to Sekou Smith and the AJC.

You have to laugh as you would figure that the Hawks might have had Smith for less had they decided not to find out what Josh's true market value was. It's a smidge less than the 12 million reported that Smith was seeking. Was 400K/year worth all the disgruntlement caused by playing with the hardball? We'll see, we hope.

The Hawks now have seven days to decide whether to match the offer sheet and bring Smith back or let him become a Grizzly.

It might be the difference between stopping the offseason bleeding or returning to basketball oblivion.

Just in case there is any indecision over the next few days, here is a friendly HHB reminder to the Hawks front office regarding what this might be all about:




Official HHB Advise: Just sign the man. That is all.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Offseason Blues---Cure #2

As I read that the best Hawks beat writer since the late, great, Jeff Denberg---Sekou Smith---is getting hit for his (lack of ) writing during notorious slow summer months (what is he supposed to do, make stuff up?)---especially long when you are following the Hawks---I feel like we are in need of a reminder of better times, better offseasons, times when all you had to do was turn on the TV and watch #21 show us what passion on the court was all about.


Monday, August 4, 2008

Offseason Blues---Cure #1

While we wait---and wait---and wait---for the signing of Josh Smith (unless Siberia is coming with an offer), and while I debate whether or not Acie Law is the solution at point guard to follow Mike Bibby beyond this season, let's soothe the savage summer months with a trip back to one of my favorite videotapes of all time--the NBA Superstars!