Childress Disrespected by Teammates?

As Josh Childress adjusts to being a trailblazer (but not an NBA TrailBlazer) and deals with the fallout from Atlanta fans and potentially NBA fans, his people have decided that they should get Josh out there to talk about why he left and the whole process.

Yesterday, he spoke with PTI, who likely would have NEVER had him as a Five Good Minutes guest had not been "the first" to dump the NBA for Greece in his prime and as a starter caliber player in the league.



He then went on Atlanta's 790 the Zone to talk more specifically about the Hawks and the negotiations.

***UPDATE*** The interview is up on the Zone webpage.

Talking with the "Mayhem in the AM" crew, Childress talked about the slow negotiations, below MLE offers from the team, and sign and trades that the Hawks weren't interested in that would have paid Childress what he needed.

In the end, he had the well reported 5 yr, 33 million dollar offer and accepted it, only to be told to hold on. For a player that had already held on for too long (in his mind---and perception is reality), it was too much and he took his game overseas.

During the conversation with the Zone, Childress also discussed a point that THHB brought up last year during our interview with Childress---the lack of being a starter and the playing time that went with it.

This was CLEARLY something that Josh was interested in and was not afforded. Despite injuries on the team last season to other players, Childress started zero games for the Hawks. He was never allowed to earn the role, no matter how hard he played, and this bothered him as he talked to us last season.

But the headline of the call, the one thing we hadn't heard is that this lack of starting also led to a disrepctful attitude toward him by his own teammates.

He felt cut by the labels that was placed on him. "The Energy Guy", the "Rebound Guy", and so on. It was clear he felt he had already been pigeonhold and that bothered him as well, and likely made it eaiser for him to take the money and run.

Which players dissed him? Which players wouldn't throw him the ball if he was open? Is he talking about Johnson, Bibby, or even Josh Smith?

Along with what trade offers might have been turned down by the Hawks, this is the missing information most enquiring minds are eager to know.

On the PTI interview, maybe it was the newness of the whole thing, buit Childress did not seem invested in the decision. He admitted to being an NBA dreamer, but that he is on that team now and thier goal is the Euro Championship, so he is too.

He is definately still down with the NBA.

But what neither the PTI guys nor the Zone guys asked Chill was if he saw this as a 3 year commitment, or will his representation continue to keep their legs in the NBA waters, feeling out a scenario that will bring Chilldress back to the NBA next season.