The Milwaukee Bucks are aggressively pursuing Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith and Smith has stated that he would not be opposed to sticking around in Milwaukee if the trade happens, per Ken Berger of CBS Sports. Here is a snippet from Berger's piece:
Josh Smith trade rumors: Forward could be open to re-signing with Bucks
Milwaukee is not known as a landing destination for free agents, but news of a player that might be willing to sign an extension may cause a trade to happen.
Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE
Josh Smith is not opposed to Milwaukee -- the city or the weather -- and likes the Bucks’ roster enough to re-sign there if traded, a league source told CBSSports.com Wednesday.
Rumors have been swirling about who the Hawks may be asking for in a deal. There are also conflicting reports as to who the Bucks would be willing to trade. From Frank Madden of Brew Hoop:
So if the Bucks won't move either of their guards, who could we see shipped out? Ford writes that the Bucks "won't trade" John Henson and Larry Sanders, leaving Ersan Ilyasova as the Bucks' most marketable remaining asset.
Further confounding matters is the latest from USA Today's Sam Amick, who still lists Ellis as a potential trade centerpiece with Atlanta, expects Jennings and Ilyasova to stay in Milwaukee, and tabs Dalembert or Ekpe Udoh as potential sweeteners. OK then.
The guards that Madden is referring to are of course Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings. If the Bucks did include Ellis, they would still have an athletic lineup and a diverse bunch of players. Smith is a high flyer and is averaging 17.4 points and 8.6 rebounds on the season.
The news that Smith might re-sign with the Bucks could be enough to make a deal before Thursday’s deadline. If the Bucks can add Smith then they would be dealing with two high priority free agents this summer -- with Jennings’ impending free agency (likely to be a restricted free agent this summer).
For more on the Bucks, visit Brew Hoop.
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