Atlanta, GA (My Sportsbook) - The Atlanta Hawks signed veteran forward Joe Smith to a contract on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. "Joe's acquisition provides us with a solid complement to our frontcourt," Hawks general manager Rick Sund said. "Not only does he bring years of experience to our team, but his versatility gives our coaching staff a player who can play multiple positions and an individual who will provide tremendous leadership in the locker room." The 34-year-old Smith started the 2008-09 season with Oklahoma City, where he played in 36 games before having his contract bought out and released on March 1. The 14-year veteran was then picked up by Cleveland and appeared in 21 regular season and 13 playoff contests. Combined with both teams, he averaged 6.6 points and 4.6 rebounds in 57 games and saw action in 13 postseason contests with the Cavaliers and averaged 5.5 points and 3.7 boards. Smith, who was the No. 1 overall pick of Golden State in the 1995 NBA Draft out of the University of Maryland, has posted averages of 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 950 career games with the Warriors, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit, Milwaukee, Denver, Chicago, Cleveland and Oklahoma City. |
