The NBA's tumultuous offseason seems to be slowing down ever so slightly. The Atlanta Hawks have already dealt Joe Johnson away, and it had been thought that Josh Smith would follow Johnson out the door, after Smith requested a trade.

Atlanta's new general manager Danny Ferry has his own ideas -- and they don't include trading Smith.

Ferry will tell you that he "didn't come in looking to" trade Johnson, but the opportunity presented itself (and he pounced). But Smith is a different story. Ferry likes him -a lot.

"He's a really good player," Ferry said. "I love his ability to pass the ball. I love his ability to make game-changing plays defensively. I love his competitiveness. If I was out there playing, I would want Josh on my team."

Of course, Ferry can say that he loves Smith, and it might not make much of a bearing on Smith's trade demand. Still, per the AJC, Ferry has met with Smith twice, and it's likely that tensions have been eased.

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