Josh Smith sees Brooklyn as attractive landing spot for free agents ... but not likely for him

Unless there's some secret route no one is aware of, Josh Smith won't be headed to Brooklyn anytime soon. That train left the station at the trade deadline when the Hawks deemed the Nets offer of Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks and a pick (or the rights to Bojan Bogdanovic) unworthy and kept the 6'9" power forward in Atlanta.

That aside, Smith likes the embrace hes seen his former teammate receive in Brooklyn and thinks the Nets are a viable option for free agents if and when the Nets get out from under the luxury tax.

"That’s what he was to us – a guy that we can give the ball to in the late seconds and he would deliver," Smith told Stefan Bondy. "He’s on a bigger stage now because it’s Brooklyn, it’s a bigger market. So it’s more magnified than what it was here. But he always had that in his game. It’s good to see him successful this season."

He, like other free agents, has noticed what Mikhail Prokhorov --and Barclays Center-- has meant to the franchise now that they're out of New Jersey and in Brooklyn. But not for him.

"That’s a pretty good team," Smith said about Brooklyn. "They have a lot of talent. The organization has definitely been turned around by the owner they have. They’re a good team. We’re a good team too. Who knows what would have happened, but it didn’t happen. I’m here. So I just have to focus on what I can do in order for us to keep succeeding and keep getting better."

• Josh Smith discusses the Nets, free agency, the difficulties of playing in Atlanta - Stefan Bondy - New York Daily News