The Hawks reportedly nixed a last-minute trade of Josh Smith before he becomes a free agent after the season. (Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Josh Smith was not traded before Thursday’s NBA deadline, and will include Atlanta among his free-agent options at season’s end. But a person familiar with Smith’s plans told USA TODAY that Smith is “highly unlikely” to re-sign with the Hawks.

Smith’s 17.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and the Hawks’ hesitation to commit to a maxed-out extension put him at the top of coveted trade targets prior to the deadline. His numbers this season are slightly above his averages from nine seasons in Atlanta.

The Hawks reportedly were on the verge of dealing the 27-year-old to the Bucks until Atlanta GM Danny Ferry pulled the plug at the last minute.

“We value Josh,” Ferry told NBA TV. “He’s been important to our program here the last several years, and I’ve enjoyed working with him this year. He’s an important part of this team, and we look forward to finishing the year well with him.”

Smith has said publicly that he’s worth a max contract, estimated to be worth $94 million over five years, and told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

“I feel like I’m a max player,” Smith said. And yes, that is the first time he has said that.

“I feel I bring a lot to the table. I have a lot of versatility. For what I do and what I give this ball club, I feel like I’m worth it.”

Smith again: “There shouldn’t be any hesitation. I’m Josh Smith, I’m not anybody else. I ‘m not Michael Jordan, I’m not LeBron James, I’m not Brook Lopez. I’m Josh Smith. You can’t look at what might’ve happened with another person. Let’s say Joe [Johnson]. You can’t say, ‘I’m skeptical of giving another person that’ because of whatever they feel like happened.”

A source told Ric Bucher the Hawks nixed a deal that would have sent Josh Smith to the Bucks at the last minute.

Bucher reports the Hawks would have received Ekpe Udoh, Luc Mbah-Moute, Beno Udrih and a protected No. 1 pick.

Can’t imagine the Bucks are happy having invested so much time in trying to make it happen. Leaves big question now if Hawks can do better this summer.

Source: Atlanta Hawks blow up deal at last minute that would've sent Josh Smith to Milwaukee. Hawks would've re- sulia.com/my_thoughts/b5…—
Ric Bucher (@RicBucher) February 21, 2013

The Nets are “aggressively pursuing” a trade for Josh Smith. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Brooklyn Nets are “aggressively pursuing” a possible trade for Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith, ESPN.com’s Chris Broussard reported on Sunday.

The Nets are also targeting Charlotte Bobcats guard Ben Gordon in trade talks before the Feb. 21 deadline. But Broussard reported that Smith is a “higher” priority for the Nets.

The Nets would offer Kris Humphries and second-year guard MarShon Brooks for the 27-year-old Smith, who is averaging 16.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on 45.1 percent shooting from the field. He would be a bona fide addition to a Nets lineup that includes guards Deron Williams and Joe Johnson and center Brook Lopez.

The Hawks would be looking for more in return from the Nets, however. Broussard reported that they would want the Nets’ first-round pick in addition to Humphries and Brooks. Or, it could take a third team to get involved for the trade to go through.

Smith will be a free agent in the offseason. He said recently that he believes he is worth a max contract, something the Hawks have indicated they are unwilling to give him. If Smith re-signs in free agency, a max contract would run for five years and cost his team in the neighborhood of $94 million.

The Nets and Hawks are neck-and-neck in the current Eastern Conference playoff standings. The Nets sit at No. 5, while the Hawks are right behind them at No. 6 — and the two teams are tied in the loss column.

Hawks forward Josh Smith says he’s a max player. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

The Suns are trying to add forward Josh Smith and have had talks with the Hawks, according to multiple league sources in a Hoopsworld.com report.

After missing out on acquiring Eric Gordon and Rudy Gay, the Suns are pursuing Smith before the Feb. 21 trade deadline or through a sign-and-trade deal next offseason.

Smith, 27, is making $13.2 million in the last year of his contract, putting him on a list of NBA stars who could change teams soon. He could max out with the Hawks at almost $20 million per season or $94 million over five years, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Smith has come out publicly saying that he’s worth a max contract.

Phoenix could offer center Marcin Gortat, Jared Dudley, Michael Beasley and several expiring contracts including Shannon Brown, Wes Johnson, Jermaine O’Neal and Sebastian Telfair.

The Suns also own three first-round picks in the 2013 NBA Draft, courtesy of the trade that sent Steve Nash to the Lakers and obtaining Johnson from the Timberwolves.

Hawks forward Josh Smith could receive a contract worth as much as $94 million over five years. (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)

With his contract expiring after this season, Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith is set to be one of the marquee names on the free agent market this summer. Based on the NBA’s salary rules, the maximum contract he can receive would be five years and about $94 million.

Smith feels that he is worth that max deal, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I feel like I’m a max player,” he told the Journal-Constitution‘s Jeff Schultz on Friday.

The only max contract the Hawks have given a player went to Joe Johnson for six years and $123.6 million. Johnson proved to be a bust and was traded to the Nets last summer in a salary dump.

Although Smith has never been selected to an All-Star Game, he boasts career averages of 15.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 2.2 blocks and 1.3 steals.

“I feel I bring a lot to the table. I have a lot of versatility. For what I do and what I give this ball club, I feel like I’m worth it.”

…

“There shouldn’t be any hesitation. I’m Josh Smith, I’m not anybody else. I ‘m not Michael Jordan, I’m not LeBron James, I’m not Brook Lopez. I’m Josh Smith. You can’t look at what might’ve happened with another person. Let’s say Joe. You can’t say, ‘I’m skeptical of giving another person that’ because of whatever they feel like happened.”

The 6-foot-9 forward was the 17th overall pick in the 2004 draft, and has helped lead Atlanta, near his hometown of College Park, Ga., to the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. At 25-18, the Hawks currently hold the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Atlanta Hawks have suspended forward Josh Smith for tonight’s game with the Brooklyn Nets, according to the team’s official Twitter account.

Josh Smith has been suspended for tonight's game by the #ATLHawks

—
Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 16, 2013

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution‘s Chris Vivlamore reports that Smith was suspended for conduct detrimental to the team.

According to a source, Smith was kicked out of practice Tuesday. #ATLHawks

—
Chris Vivlamore (@ajchawks) January 16, 2013

In a statement tweeted by USA TODAY‘s Jeff Zillgitt, Smith said that, “Clearly I am competitive and was frustrated by our recent losses. I understand and respect the team’s actions and just want to get back on the court to do whatever is necessary to help my teammates. I apologize for letting them down and apologize to our fans.”

UCLA transfer Josh Smith averaged 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in six games this season. (Harry How/Getty Images)

6-foot-10, 300-plus-pound UCLA transfer Josh Smith is headed to Georgetown, CBSSports.com’s Jeff Goodman is reporting. The junior chose the Hoyas over Kansas, according to the report.

Smith, who arrived at UCLA as a blue-chip recruit and first-round NBA prospect, has struggled to keep his weight down in college. He averaged 10.9 points and 6.3 rebounds per game in 21.7 minutes a freshman, but those numbers dropped to 9.9, 4.9 and 17.2 during his sophomore year.

Smith played in six games for the Bruins this season, averaging 5.2 points and 4.2 rebounds in just 13.5 minutes per game before announcing that he would transfer in late November.

UCLA has gone 8-4 in his absence, including most recently an upset over No. 7 Missouri. Georgetown is 10-1 this season and currently ranked No. 15.

Yahoo! Sports Jeff Eisenberg tweeted that the move is a “worthy gamble” for the Hoyas, who have a storied tradition of building around big men, including Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo, Roy Hibbert and Greg Monroe.

I think Josh Smith is well worth a gamble for Georgetown. Obviously a very talented kid. Maybe JTIII will have more success motivating him.—
Jeff Eisenberg (@JeffEisenberg) January 02, 2013

Hawks forward Josh Smith is entering the final season of his current five-year, $58 million contract, but the team isn’t likely to re-sign him before the end of this season Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution reported. Although Hawks GM Danny Ferry “value[s] Josh as a player,” a new contract before the end of the season is unlikely:

“He has worked hard this summer and I believe he is going to have great season. I’ve been in contact with his representatives,” said Ferry. “That being said, I don’t expect the contract situation to be resolved until next summer.”

Back in March with the trade deadline approaching, Smith had repeatedly expressed a desire to be traded:

By the end of last season Smith wanted out of Atlanta because he believed he was singled out for unfair criticism by coaches and media. Those concerns have died down for the most part this season but now Smith believes he needs a fresh start with a franchise where he can better reach his potential on and off the court.

Those sentiments appear to have subsided, and Smith has made it clear that “he is excited about the direction of the team and wants to be a part of the future in Atlanta,” according to Ferry. So much so that he’s made the idea of carrying the “hopes of a franchise” on his shoulders the focus of a new shoe commercial with Adidas:

Smith was the team’s co-captain and led the team in points (18.8) and rebounds (9.6) last season.

Josh Smith would give the Lakers some much-needed athleticism. (Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)

Earlier on Wednesday, we told you about the reports that the Los Angeles Lakers were trying to move into the top 10 of Thursday’s NBA draft, and were dangling forward Pau Gasol as trade bait. Mike Bresnahan of the L.A. Times reports that the Lakers “covet” Kentucky small forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, which means that L.A. would have to get into the top five to ensure landing him.

If the Lakers’ trade demands (a top-10 pick and a veteran?) aren’t met, perhaps they’d be open to taking just the veteran: Bresnahan reports that the Atlanta Hawks have been “aggressively” trying to peddle forward Josh Smith to L.A. for Gasol. Atlanta first expressed interest in the Spaniard after the Lakers were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals.

Bresnahan writes that if L.A. did the deal, the team would lose height, but gain athleticism, youth and dollars.

Atlanta Hawks power forward Josh Smith was disappointed Thursday night to be eliminated from the NBA playoffs by the Boston Celtics — and he was able to pinpoint a distinct advantage the C’s had on their home floor in Game 6: their fans.

“I was a little jealous, you know what I mean?” Smith told Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com. “The fans out here are so supportive of their team. You go out and look in the stands, there’s nothing but Celtics jerseys and I don’t see a trace of red in there, you know what I mean?

“Understanding that the fans are that passionate, it adds an extra advantage for them. A bad shot can be as good as a turnover when you’re playing against a team like Boston, especially with the fan base that they have.”

The Hawks won Game 5 in Atlanta on Tuesday, backed by a crowd of 19,319, but a large portion of them were decked out in green and supporting the visitors. The Celtics then closed the series, winning 83-80 in Game 6, in front of 18,624 fans at the TD Garden in Boston.

The Celtics open the second round tonight, at home, against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Rumors have been circulating for nearly a year about Josh Smith’s desire to be traded from the Atlanta Hawks, and despite a career year from the athletic young big man, nothing has changed. Smith would still like to be moved in the week leading up to next Thursday’s trade deadline, according to Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Smith is on the books for $12.4 million this season and $13.2 million next year in Atlanta, then eligible for free agency in 2013. If the Hawks choose to hold onto him at the deadline, there’s not much he can do about it.

“I really don’t pay any attention to it,” Smith said. “I just go out there and play the way I play and not worry about anything else. I know this is a business. Whatever happens, happens in the long run. But I know as long as I’m with the Hawks, I have to put my best foot forward.”

Smith is averaging 17.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals this season, and the Hawks are in a tight race for fourth in the Eastern Conference at 23-16.