Dec 21, 2012; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith (5) is defended by Philadelphia 76ers forward Thaddeus Young (21) during the second quarter at the Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Howard Smith-USA TODAY Sports

At this point, the only team that doesn’t have any rumored interest in Josh Smith are the Washington Generals.

According to a new report by Hoopsworld, the Philadelphia 76ers may still have interest in Josh Smith. Before the season, they had hoped to form a contender around the newly traded-for Andrew Bynum. However, he has yet to see the court for the Philadelphia team due to injury, and they are on the verge of missing the playoffs barring a second-half turnaround.

Now, according to a rumor from Hoopsworld, the Atlanta Hawks have approached the 76ers about third year SG/SF Evan Turner and C Spencer Hawes in exchange for Josh Smith. The post reads:

According to a pair of league sources with knowledge of the discussions, the Atlanta Hawks approached the Sixers seeking to acquire Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes in exchange for forward Josh Smith. Smith will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Bynum factors into any decisions about the team’s future.

“So much is Andrew Bynum’s health and what he is going to be able to do for us going down the road,” Collins said. “But we have to be very careful where all of a sudden you are trying to make a deal for something. You can’t trade for a free agent because you could give something up and they don’t re-sign. Then you’ve borrowed them for 30 games.”

Turner is in line to make over $5 million this year and then over $6.5 million next year before reaching restricted free agency. Hawes will be an unrestricted free agent that offseason as well, and will make $6.5 million in annual salary until then. This trade would fill a couple of needs that the Hawks might need longterm but Philadelphia may be wary to make the trade unless they are confident the could re-sign Josh Smith at a price they deem is acceptable. Nothing has been ruled out this trade season so continue to come back here to Soaring Down South for all the rumors that have been picked up.

March 14, 2011; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard (12) loses control of the ball against the defense of Los Angeles Lakers power forward Pau Gasol (center) and shooting guard Kobe Bryant (24) during the second half at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-US PRESSWIRE

We have all woken up from our horrible Dwightmare. Dwight Howard is going to the Lakers in a blockbuster four team trade involving the 76ers, the Nuggets and of course the Magic.

The quick breakdown:

• Philadelphia receives Andrew Bynum from the Lakers and Jason Richardson from Orlando
• Denver gets Andre Iguodala from the 76ers
• Orlando gets Nikola Vucevic and Moe Harkless from the Sixers, Josh McRoberts and Christian Eyenga from the Lakers, Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington from Denver, as well as a first round pick from each team along with a second round pick from the Nuggets and Lakers
• Dwight Howard also brings Chris Duhon and Earl Clark to Los Angeles with him.

The fact that the Lakers kept Pau Gasol to pair with Dwight in the frontcourt makes the Lakers the obvious short term winner in the deal. Think about a first team of Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard and Ron Mettartest World Peace whatchamacallit. Pair that with Steve Blake, Antawn Jamison, Jordan Hill, and others off the bench and you have a team that is the outright favorite in the West and one that asserts itself as 1A to the Miami Heat’s #1 status.

From the Magic’s perspective, considering that Dwight was holding them hostage by demanding a trade ruining any leverage they may have had, they came out with a decent package that allows themselves to jumpstart the rebuilding process. They would have been foolish to try to wait around for a deal similar to the return Denver got for Carmelo Anthony. Vucevic and Harkless are promising young players, though untested, that can learn alongside Andrew Nicholson and Kyle O’Quinn as recent draft picks. Considering the best holdovers from last year’s team are Jameer Nelson, JJ Redick, Hedo Turkoglu and Glen “Big Baby” Davis, the  Magic will look to bottom out quickly then rebuild through the draft with the multitude of picks at their disposal in the coming years.

Denver and Philadelphia were auxiliary components in this trade but rather interesting in their own right. After signing Nene to a long term deal (5 years at $13 million a year) before trading him for JaVale McGee, Denver went a similar route by signing Arron Afflalo (5 years at $7.75 million a year) then flipping him and a quickly declining Al Harrington to get Andre Iguodala, who is owed a little less than $15 million this year with a player option for almost $16 million in 2013. He joins Danilo Gallinari and Wilson Chandler on the wings in the Mile High City. Those three joined with Ty Lawson, McGee, Kenneth Faried and others makes for a fun up-and-down relentless attack. I’d say the Nuggets got better with this trade but still no better than middle of the pack in the brutal Western Conference.

Andrew Bynum was born and raised in middle New Jersey, less than an hour away from Philadelphia, so the Sixers seem to be trying to woo him to a long term deal in a city close to home after the season. Jason Richardson is an interesting piece as well to fill the void without Iguodala. The 76ers went for broke, trading away their best player, though disgruntled, as well as young assets and a first round pick. It makes them a better team in 2012-13 (as well as preventing a laughable Spencer Hawes-Kwame Brown starting frontcourt), but if Andrew Bynum leaves in free agency, they will rue this trade.

From the Atlanta Hawks angle, this is a disappointment for the patrons of Philips Arena. One would think that Los Angeles is now the odds on destination for Dwight to sign a longterm deal, leaving the Hawks with a very slim to none chance of landing the hometown kid. They might have to turn their attention to Andrew Bynum or a the chances Chris Paul could get crowded out of the Los Angeles spotlight in the summer of 2013. Danny Ferry will most likely have to get creative next year, although he’s already proven himself capable of transforming a roster before our eyes.

Unless Dwight changes his mind again…

Mar 23, 2012; Atlanta, GA ,USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich (6) knocks the ball away from New Jersey Nets guard Deron Williams (8) at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-US PRESSWIRE

It has been an eventful offseason of swirling rumors of trades and free agent signings. With July 11 being the first day that these proposed deals can be finalized, let’s recap the moves that have been made. Note that this does not include signing players drafted in the 2012 NBA draft. Any player that is an unrestricted free agent but has not signed is not listed except in the case of an option not picked up.

Eastern Conference 

Atlantic Division:

Boston Celtics:

• Resigned: Kevin Garnett (3 years, $34 million), James Green (4 years, $36 million), Brandon Bass (3 years, $20 million)
• Newly signed: Jason Terry (3 years, $15.675 million)
• Lost to free agency: Ray Allen (Heat)

Brooklyn Nets:

• Resigned: Deron Williams (5 years, $98.77 million), Gerald Wallace (4 years, $40 million)
• Newly signed: Mirza Teletovic, Jerry Stackhouse (1 year, $1.3 million)
• Traded for: Joe Johnson, Reggie Evans
• Traded away: Johan Petro, DeShawn Stevenson, Anthony Morrow, Jordan Farmar, Jordan Williams

New York Knicks:

• Resigned: Steve Novak (4 years, $15 million), J.R. Smith
• Newly signed: Jason Kidd (3 years, $9 million), James White
• Traded for: Marcus Camby
• Traded away: Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan

Philadelphia 76ers:

• Resigned: Lavoy Allen (2 years, $6 million), Spencer Hawes (2 years, $13.1 million)
• Traded for: Dorell Wright
• Amnestied: Elton Brand (1 year, $18.16 million left on contract)

Toronto Raptors:

• Resigned: Aaron Gray (2 years, $5 million)
• Traded for: Kyle Lowry
• Lost to free agency: Sonny Weems, Jerryd Bayless

Central Division:

Chicago Bulls:

• Newly signed: Kirk Hinrich (2 years, $6 million)
• Waived: C.J. Watson
• Lost to free agency: Ronnie Brewer

Cleveland Cavaliers:

• Resigned: Luke Harangody (1 year, $1.1 million)
• Waived: Manny Harris

Detroit Pistons:

• Lost to free agency: Vernon Macklin

Indiana Pacers:

• Resigned: George Hill (5 years, $40 million)
• Lost to free agency: A.J. Price

Milwaukee Bucks:

• Resigned: Ersan Ilyasova (5 years, $45 million)

Southeastern Division:

Charlotte Bobcats: 

• No action

Miami Heat:

• Newly signed: Ray Allen (2 years, $6.18 million), Rashard Lewis

Orlando Magic:

• Resigned: Jameer Nelson
• Traded for: Gustavo Ayon
• Traded away: Ryan Anderson

Washington Wizards:

• Traded for: Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza
• Traded away: Rashard Lewis

Western Conference

Southwest Division:

Dallas Mavericks:

• Lost to free agency: Jason Kidd (Knicks), Jason Terry (Celtics)

Houston Rockets:

• Traded for: Toney Douglas, Josh Harrellson, Jerome Jordan
• Traded away: Kyle Lowry, Marcus Camby
• Lost to free agency: Goran Dragic (Suns)

Memphis Grizzlies:

• Resigned: Darrell Arthur (3 years, $9 million), Marreese Speights (2 years, $9 million)
• Newly signed: Jerryd Bayless
• Lost: O.J. Mayo

New Orleans Hornets:

• Traded for: Ryan Anderson
• Traded away: Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, Jarrett Jack, Gustavo Ayon
• Waived: Rashard Lewis

San Antonio Spurs:

• Resigned: Tim Duncan, Boris Diaw (2 years, $9 million), Danny Green (3 years, $12 million)
• Newly signed: Nando de Colo

Northwest Divison:

Denver Nuggets:

• Resigned: Andre Miller

Minnesota Timberwolves:

• Newly signed: Brandon Roy (2 years, $10.4 million), Alexey Shved
• Traded for: Chase Budinger
• Lost to free agency: Michael Beasley (Suns)

Oklahoma City Thunder:

• Newly signed: Hasheem Thabeet

Portland Trailblazers:

• Newly signed: Victor Claver
• Lost to free agency: Jamal Crawford (Clippers), J.J. Hickson
• Bought out: Shawne Williams

Utah Jazz:

• Resigned: Jeremy Evans (3 years, $5.5 million)
• Traded for: Marvin Williams
• Traded away: Devin Harris
• Bought out: Raja Bell

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors:

• Traded for: Jarrett Jack
• Traded away: Dorell Wright

Los Angeles Clippers:

• Resigned: Chauncey Billups
• Newly signed: Jamal Crawford
• Traded away: Reggie Evans (Nets)
• Lost to free agency: Nick Young (76ers)

Los Angeles Lakers:

• Resigned: Devin Ebanks (1 year, $1.4 million)
• Traded for: Steve Nash

Phoenix Suns:

• Newly signed: Goran Dragic (4 years, $34 million), Michael Beasley (3 years, $18 million)
• Traded away: Steve Nash
• Lost to free agency: Aaron Brooks

Sacramento Kings:

• Resigned: Jason Thompson

***

The 5 best remaining free agents at each position (discounting restricted free agents with an offer sheet):

Point guard: Raymond Felton, Baron Davis, Ramon Sessions, Jonny Flynn, Aaron Brooks

Shooting guard: O.J. Mayo, Carlos Delfino, C.J. Miles, Courtney Lee, Randy Foye

Small forward: Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Sam Young, Josh Howard, Grant Hill

Power forward: Elton Brand, Antawn Jamison, J.J. Hickson, Carl Landry, Kenyon Martin

Center: Chris Kaman, Javale McGee, Greg Oden, Mehmet Okur, Greg Stiemsma