Hawks sign 14-year veteran power forward Joe Smith

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Hawks signed free agent forward Joe Smith on Tuesday to address the team's lack of inside depth.

Smith, a 14-year veteran, was the NBA's No. 1 overall draft pick in 1995. The Hawks are his 10th NBA home.

The 6-foot-10, 225-pound Smith will join center Zaza Pachulia as the top inside backups behind starters Al Horford and Josh Smith for the Hawks, who advanced to the second round of the playoffs last season.

``Joe's acquisition provides us with a solid complement to our frontcourt,'' said Hawks general manager Rick Sund. ``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.''

Terms of the deal were not released on Tuesday.

Smith, 34, played 21 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers last season after starting the season with Oklahoma City. He averaged 5.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 13 postseason games with the Cavaliers. He averaged 6.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in the regular season.

Smith brings career averages of 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He set a career high by averaging 18.7 points per game for Golden State in the 1996-97 season.

The Hawks traded for guard Jamal Crawford in June and have re-signed three starters who were free agents: Marvin Williams, Mike Bibby and Pachulia.