When NBA free agency begins in July, there will be a small list of players that will highlight the class of 2013. Whiel the likes of Dwight Howard and Chris Paul will get most of the attention, players like Josh Smith can expect to take multiple visits from teams interested. The Atlanta Hawks forward is likely out and according to the New York Post, he is getting plenty of attention from the Houston Rockets and the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Rockets are planning to have a few busy offseason. After acquiring James Harden and Jeremy Lin last offseason, they will be making a push to sign Dwight Howard the moment he becomes available. However, the Los Angeles Lakers are not going do without a fight and Houston will not be alone in their pursuit of the All-Star. So what happens if the Rockets are not able to land Howard? Smith is reportedly Plan B for the team. Since Houston cannot sign both because of salary demands, Smith will be the team's second choice.
The Post is also reporting that the Philadelphia 76ers will make a strong push for Smith. They have had their sights on Smith for some time when he was a restricted free agent, but settled for Elton Brand instead. They later used the amnesty provision on him. The issue will be Smith's price tag. He is going to seek a max contract from any team looking to sign him. He has been very vocal about his intentions on getting the most money available, which could hurt his signing chances.
The Atlanta Hawks appear to have ruled Smith out of their long-term plans for the franchise. The Hawks attempted multiple deals during the brief trading period during the 2012-13 season to get rid of Smith, but failed to do so. They are not looking to re-sign him to a max contract after he failed to lead the team to any true success. The team has a new regime of coaches and is looking to redo their image. Not to mention, the team is busy promoting their intentions of signing both Howard and Chris Paul for 2013. That in itself signifies that Smith is finished.
Free agency will give Smith a fresh start and an ability to get with a team that will allow him to grow. Atlanta fans can stop blaming Smith for the failures in the postseason and work on building around Jeff Teague and Al Horford.
