Josh Smith is still unsigned and NBA training camp is imminently starting soon. Smith previously played for the Houston Rockets and was seen as someone who could easily hook up with other ball clubs
If that is the case, why hasn’t any other team touched base with Josh Smith? Such is the question lurking in the minds of many for the player who perhaps had his best years with the Atlanta Hawks.
Josh Smith is in a similar predicament as last year though it wasn’t this hard to find a new home, Yahoo Sports reported. He was courted by several teams that included the Golden State Warriors, Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Los Angeles Clippers. He ended up playing for the Clips.
Things never really panned out for Josh Smith with the Clippers and he eventually found himself back in Houston. Smith was with the Rockets prior to the 2015-16 NBA season.
What happened to Josh Smith?
From a player who made strides stringing up NBA awards, his stock plummeted since joining the Detroit Pistons. He ended up settling for one-year minimum deals after that so something may be terribly wrong.
Some have questioned his offensive arsenal though he has shown improvement to that. Josh Smith is a ferocious rebounder and plays decent defense compared to other forwards in the league right now.
Josh Smith is also just 30-years-old, pretty much at the prime of his career. He has a lot of NBA playing years ahead of him but he needs to settle with a team first.
Chemistry issues or undersized?
At 6-foot-9, Smith is a bit undersized for the forward position. But then again, there were other forwards who managed like NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. Overall, there doesn’t seem to be anything glaringly wrong with Smith outside the fact that he has yet to join the perfect team who could use him.
A Fit for the Cavs?
A team that could try him out is the same team he passed on last year, the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers. With Timofey Mozgov out (now with the Los Angeles Lakers), it makes sense to sign up Smith.
He is likely to end up with a one-year minimum salary once more. At this point, Josh Smith is left with not much of a choice. With training camp around the corner, Smith will just have to wait for it.
The Cavs could use him but the obvious priority right now is J.R. Smith. Once that is settled, the Cavs may come knocking.