ATLANTA, GA – MARCH 8: Josh Smith #5 of the Atlanta Hawks drives to the basket against Pau Gasol #16 of the Los Angeles Lakers on March 8, 2011 at Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2011 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

February 21 is the NBA trade deadline. This means that there are only 16 more days until I can stop hearing and reading about these ridiculous trade ideas that involves Atlanta Hawks forward Josh Smith and some player or contract that we wouldn’t want or need *cough* Pau Gasol *cough*.  But just for the sake of the trade deadline, I will list my thoughts on what the top 5 trade scenarios could be for J-Smoove and the Hawks.

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1.) Josh Smith to Phoenix for Marcin Gortat and Jared Dudley: I’m sure that most of us heard the rumor that the Suns are interested.  Gortat and Dudley for Smith could help both teams in seeing that Atlanta is getting a wing player in addition to a skilled center that can push Horford to the 4, while the Suns get a new face for their franchise.

2.) Josh Smith to Denver for Timofey Mozgov and Danilo Gallinari:  This is another instance in which Atlanta will be getting a center that can hopefully push Al to the 4.  Also, Mozgov has an expiring contract which would give the Hawks more cap room at the end of the season.  Gallinari will give us what we desperately need in a scoring wing and also and a player that create their own shot, something Atlanta has been lacking since Lou Williams went done for the remained of the season.

3.) Josh Smith to Houston for Patrick Patterson, Chandler Parsons, Cole Aldrich, and Marcus Morris: Houston will get a great player to go with Lin and Harden while Atlanta gets a ton of young talent to start re-building with.  Simple as that.

4.) Josh Smith to Detroit for Andre Drummond and Rodney Stuckey:  Now this is my personal favorite and I doubt this will ever happen, but this would be my dream.  Drummond has Dwight Howard potential and in order to get him we would probably have to take back a bad contract of either Stuckey or Charlie Villanueva.  Personally, I prefer Stuckey because he looks like 50 cent and because Charlie V is just horrible.

5.) Josh Smith to Sacramento for Tyreke Evans and Jason Thompson: I saw this one and it left me intrigued.  Tyreke has one year left on his contract and there is no guarantee that he would stay in Atlanta but in the very least it will free up a little cap space.  Jason Thompson is okay in my book but this will just be another player added to the list of PF’s that might have to play center.  Oh, and I would definitely enjoy imagining the entertainment we would see by having DeMarcus Cousins and Smoove on the same team.

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Well there are my top 5 trade scenarios that I would like to see happen.  I doubt that Josh will get traded due to the whole thing with his trade kicker but it is nice to dream.  Let me know of your thoughts; if you prefer one of my suggestions or if you have one of your own.

Here are the top 7 players the Atlanta Hawks should pursue in 2013:

1. Chris Paul

After drafting Marvin Williams with 2^nd overall pick ahead of the likes of Chris Paul and Deron Williams, the “what ifs” of the 2005 draft will always haunt the Atlanta franchise. Fortunately for Hawks fans, GM Danny Ferry has given them a second opportunity at landing the coveted all-star.Considering Clipper centerpiece Blake Griffin is also a free agent, there should be a playing field for Ferry to throw cash around in. Averaging 18.8 points and 9.8 assists is a decent indicator that he meshes with new teams smoothly. So in the event that Paul should come to Atlanta, his presence would certainly make the Hawks a formidable contender for the Eastern Conference crown.

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2. Josh Smith

J-Smoove has spent his career thus far in Atlanta. There have certainly been ups and downs, unadvised mid-range jumpers, and some pretty nasty slams on his resume so far. With career averages of 15 points, 8 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 1 steal per game, he’s been a proven star for Atlanta, despite the questionable lack of an all-star appearance. All that said, with his court vision, tremendous upside and new found optimism in Atlanta, he should have an extension in hand before free agency.

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3. Andrew Bynum

Yes, he is a headcase. And yes, the thought of him in the locker room with Josh Smith is a scary thought. But, he just so happens to be one of the top two centers in the league, and is one heck of a finisher on the low block via Kareem Abdul Jabbar. There will be more than one team biding for Bynum’s services for obvious reasons, and it’s safe to say the 76ers will be among them. But with the Dwight sweepstakes likely over, he’s the best big man available. Not to mention, with a guy like Bynum on the roster we finally get to really see what Al Horford can do at the power forward position.

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4. Tyreke Evans

After a break out rookie campaign where he boasted an uncanny 25, 5 and 5, Evans has somewhat faded into obscurity with the Kings. Without a true position there, dwindling production and an erratic supporting cast, the Kings front office probably won’t be to keen on entering any massive bidding wars for Evans. That said, he is an outstanding talent, with smooth ball handling, and a knack for getting into the paint, he could provide the Hawks with both a primary ball handler and a sturdy wing player. It would be a similar situation to Sac-town with Teague on the roster, but Drew would give him much more flexibility within the flow of the offense. There is every reason to believe that he could rekindle his young career in Atlanta, and every reason to think we could land him.

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5. James Harden

With Russell Westbook and Kevin Durant currently under max deals, the reigning sixth man of the year is currently in a state limbo. The Oklahoma front office has the daunting task of choosing between the shot blocking machine that is Serge Ibaka, or the bearded offensive juggernaut that is James Harden. It is an unenviable situation to be in, but Harden has hinted recently that he is open to playing elsewhere. (via Dan Bickley of the Arizona Republic) Depending on what the Oklahoma City front office decides, we could have a chance at landing him. And seeing as a 6^th man of the year award speaks for itself, just imagine what he could do with a starting role for the Hawks.

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6. Kevin Martin

Kevin Martin is somewhat of an understated talent. He’s a great shooter, with a distinct ability to get to the line. At 6’7 he has the ability to slide over from his natural position as a guard, to a savvy, European style wing player. He doesn’t have a lot of weight on him, so guarding larger players on the baseline or in isolation situations isn’t ideal. But after Houston attempted to send him in the vetoed Chris Paul trade, and the acquisition of Jeremy Lamb in the draft, Houston doesn’t have a particular need for him. However, the Hawks certainly do. With departure of Joe Johnson, having a pure offensive threat who can create for himself is something worth paying for.

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7. Dorell Wright

As a 6’9 tweener, Dorell Wright is far from a household name. However, that’s something that could play right into the Hawks hands. At 26 year of age, the lengthy Small Forward is someone who could really have a chance to come into his own with the Hawks developing roster. Wright posted an exceptional numbers in the 2010-11′ season, boasting averages of 16 points and 5 boards per game, while playing in all 82 games. The upside is undeniable, being a solid 3 point shooter and having the athleticism and reach to improve considerably on defense, makes Wright a solid fit for Atlanta’s rotation immediately.