Josh Smith cut from the Pistons

[Houndy]

The Pistons have just cut Josh Smith, with 2 years and 26 million on his contract. He's expected to clear waivers and look for a new team via Free Agency

[NovU]

Stretch provision, which means his contract can be spread out to 3-5 years period instead of annual salary due

Just crazy, I didn't see this coming. SVG's a one serious guy I guess.

[Mandich]

Just crazy, I didn't see this coming. SVG's a one serious guy I guess.

He should be, they give him all the authorities and he didn't do jack shit until now.

[Alpha_]

The Detroit Pistons have waived Josh Smith.

Smith is owed $26 million over the next two seasons and the Pistons will use the stretch provision on his contract to give the team some cap relief.

The Sacramento Kings made multiple overtures to sign Smith in the offseason, but Stan Van Gundy wanted to try to make his frontcourt of Smith, Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe work.

“Our team has not performed the way we had expected throughout the first third of the season and adjustments need to be made in terms of our focus and direction,” said Van Gundy. “We are shifting priorities to aggressively develop our younger players while also expanding the roles of other players in the current rotation to improve performance and build for our future. As we expand certain roles, others will be reduced. In fairness to Josh, being a highly versatile 10-year veteran in this league, we feel it’s best to give him his freedom to move forward. We have full respect for Josh as a player and a person.”

Wow. I didn't see this coming.

Mavs might sign him. LOLzzz

[Kevin]

Well, that was.... sudden.

[NovU]

Pick up the phone, mr riley. Bosh's injured, McBob's dead, Wade's knees shattered, this actually can work.

[I Hate Mondays]

fuck.......what am I gonna do with him this week in my fantasy league ?

[shadowgrin]

Trade him.

Smith was on pace to be the first NBA player to shoot below 40 percent on field goals and below 50 percent on free throws while taking at least 12 shots per game, according to ESPN Stats & Information.

Awesum.

[JAWSFreelao]

Not surprising. Drastic measure, but from a financial, chemical, and logical standpoint, this makes sense.
The Pistons clearly value Greg Monroe. Enough to where they believe Josh Smith has reached the peak of his career, and they clearly felt as if Moose was the wiser investment. Not only because of age & upside, but because of chemistry. Monroe may not be the best guy, but clearly he's much better than Josh Smith. Smith has always been noted for his locker room issues.
Smith also had a massively bloated contract. By using the stretch provision, they clear up 8.1 million dollars in cap space for next summer.
Now I have a question for the rest of you: Where will Josh Smith end up? My predictions are arranged in amount of likelihood: 1) Houston, 2) Dallas, 3) Miami Heat, 4) Sacramento.
The only reason the Rockets & Mavericks are in the top two is because of the friendships. Dwight & Josh have been friends since preschool, Rondo & Smith met during AAU ball if I remember correctly,

[I Hate Mondays]

Trade him.

nah...there is this slight change he might play better where he lands..just keeping him for the blocks anyway

[Andrew]

Not surprising. Drastic measure, but from a financial, chemical, and logical standpoint, this makes sense.

It's not surprising that they'd get rid of him, but flat out cutting someone with such a big contract is an unusual move. I wouldn't have expected that. Usually, a team will try and trade a player who has worn out his welcome, likely accepting cents on the dollar if it means getting rid of him and shedding his contract.

For all his faults, Smith is a legitimate talent. At a cheaper price, and in a situation where he's not going to be as high up in the pecking order offensively, he could be a good addition. With a player like him, sometimes it's just a matter of landing on a team where he's a good fit, where his strengths will be put to good use and his weaknesses hidden or minimised by the players around him.

[JAWSFreelao]

Like Monta Ellis before he went to Dallas.
And I know, waiving him really is unusual. Usually they just suck it up and shove said player imnto the reserves. And I guess they weren't interested in the combination of Thompson and whoever else SAC offered for him.
I think the J-Smoove-Rockets marriage needs to happen. Smith will thrive in a role where he can run the floor and not have to worry about playing defensive anchor. He's capable of being an anchor, but he's definitely a short-term solution. And Smith is an incredible player, when the head is screwed on correctly.
I'd love to waive Myers Leonard and poach Smith away from the Rockets to Portland. Just my own personal hopes though.

[benji]

Rockets are only team that can give him more than the minimum since they still have their bi-annual exception.

(Well, I mean, other than the Sixers obviously.)

[Andrew]

The key for getting the best out of Smith is to limit what you need out of him offensively on a nightly basis. He does get a decent amount of assists, so he's not a completely unwilling passer. He shouldn't be taking a lot of threes though, nor should he be leading a team in field goal attempts. Get him on a team where he can be the third option (at best), with teammates who draw a lot of defensive attention and open up some high percentages opportunities for him, and benefit from his defense and rebounding. For the veteran minimum or the bi-annual exception, that's not a terrible investment. The Pistons paid him too much, and expected/needed him to do more than he was capable of.

[Patr1ck]

Pure salary dump.

[Alpha_]

Memphis would be a nice fit for him.

[Stress Fracture]

I wish the Rockets still have some of the Lin TPE remaining.

[bowdown]

Hope he stays in the East. West is too damn stacked already.

[Alpha_]

Hope he stays in the East. West is too damn stacked already.

Unfortunately, it looks like he will sign with a team in the West.

[Spree#8]

Usually, a team will try and trade a player who has worn out his welcome, likely accepting cents on the dollar if it means getting rid of him and shedding his contract.

Odds are they tried and found no takers. They would have probably had to include multiple picks in the trade for somebody to take on that awful contract and figured it was better to just cut him.

Josh Smith for $14 million and trying to be a lead scorer is an overpaid, counter-productive player. However, he can be a very useful player in the right situation, which is good spacing around him and most of his scoring being garbage buckets while he focuses on being a disruptive defender and an above average passer from the high post. Whether his ego would accept such a role is likely a totally different story. It will be interesting to see where he ends up and how he's utilized there.

[JAWSFreelao]

Some Raptor who still talks with him predicts he'll end up with Gay on the Kings.

[Andrew]

Whether his ego would accept such a role is likely a totally different story. It will be interesting to see where he ends up and how he's utilized there.

True, though he just got cut by one of the worst teams in the league, who would rather pay him to not play for them as opposed to taking cents on the dollar in a "just get him out of here" trade. That might send him a message.

Then again, the Rockets are supposedly the frontrunners for his services, so maybe not.

[JAWSFreelao]

If I were the Rockets, I wouldn't sign him. I'd wait for Andray Blatche in mid-February.
#CabbageBlatcheKids

[Stress Fracture]

If I were the Rockets, I wouldn't sign him. I'd wait for Andray Blatche in mid-February.
#CabbageBlatcheKids

As much as I'd like to wait for Blatche, we need him.early for the Olympic qualifiers.

But seriously, he'll be a good fit for the Rockets. And I think he wants to have a long-term contract.

[JAWSFreelao]

I thought he was banned from playing for the Phillipinnes?