Hawks' Smith signs Grizzlies' 5-year, $58M offer sheet

Atlanta Hawks restricted free agent Josh Smith has signed a five-year, $58 million offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Friday.

The Hawks will have seven days to match the offer, which the report said came unexpectedly from the Grizzlies.

Atlanta has said it would match any offer for the 6-foot-9, 235-pound forward, despite offseason overtures from the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Clippers, neither of which panned out.

Smith quickly took advantage of his restricted free-agent status, spending July 2 visiting the 76ers, a day after teams could start negotiations with free agents.

The 22-year-old Smith toured the city and visited the Wachovia Center with team officials.

But the 76ers opted to sign restricted free-agent Elton Brand, and the Clippers made a trade with the Denver Nuggets for Marcus Camby.

Hawks co-owner Michael Gearon Jr. said shortly after the season he was committed to keeping Smith.

Smith's numbers have increased in each of his four NBA seasons since Atlanta made him a first-round pick out of high school in 2004. He averaged 17.2 points and 8.2 rebounds last year and helped the Hawks make the playoffs.
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12 Comments On: "Hawks' Smith signs Grizzlies' 5-year, $58M offer sheet"

 
i think the hawks franchise are idiots...how can u not pay two guys who helped u get to the playoffs? and they have great upside....im sure hawks fans are outraged

The Hawks still have a chance to match the offer, and I think they will.

Even if he does go to the Grizzlies, they are a few years away from making a run in the West. But they have done a great job of getting young talent.

accurate as usual...MEM means business...losing Smith, oh well, the Grizz appear serious and not done yet FB

Finally a reason to see the Grizzlies play.

Hopefully they get some games on National TV when they are on they have never lost. That isn't to hard saying they have only played one Nationally Televised game.


Hawks have to match, it's a reasonable term. Less than the other RFAs, and Josh Smith had a much more productive year than anyone besides Monta Ellis.

can josh smith play the four a little, so mayo gets his minutes... or can mayo play the 1

Mayo will play Shooting Guard with Rudy at Small Forward and Smith at Power Foward.

Well I just found out that the Hawks matched the offer. At least we gave it a shot.

yup, caught that this morning...to good to give up, and who the hell saw that coming from the Grizz? was thinking Sixers would make the offer sheet pitch

The Grizzlies better hope they sign him...how else will they fill the big hole left by the departure of Kwame Brown?

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