The NBA's free-agent signing period is almost a week old and the Hawks are not close to signing Josh Smith to a long-term contract extension, one of his agents confirmed Sunday.
The Hawks have until Oct. 31 to agree to terms with Smith, and fellow fourth-year swingman Josh Childress, or table the discussion until next summer, when both players would become restricted free agents.
Smith, an Atlanta native and the team's second-leading scorer, made clear his desire to stay with the franchise through whatever tumult remains in the ongoing ownership dispute. But it's unclear as to whether the Hawks have reciprocated that feeling.
"With the uncertainty surrounding the organization you would think that they would want to sign a player who has made it clear to them that he wants to be here [in Atlanta] and shown that he wants to improve as a player," said Wallace Prather, one of Smith's agents. "And it's very disappointing that they're not making it a priority."
With Smith entering the fourth-year option of his rookie contract, which will pay him $1.6 million, the Hawks still have several months to get a deal done.