I know Josh Smith takes some really BAD shots but he had to be extremely terrible because the Detroit Pistons released him with two years and at least $26 million remaining on his contract after this season.
via ESPN:
“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,” coach and team president Stan Van Gundy said in a statement.
“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.”
The Pistons are using the stretch provision to deal with Smith’s massive contract. By stretching the $27 million due to him, the remaining money will count against their cap evenly for the next five years which equals out to about $5.4 million per year. That will add $8.1 million in cap space the next two summers.
If Smith clears waivers over the next 48 hours, he will have the right to go elsewhere as a free agent.
The 29-year-old Smith was averaging 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season. The Pistons acquired Smith as a free agent after the 2012-13 season. In 105 games with Detroit, he averaged 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists.
Smith was drafted with the 17th overall selection in the 2004 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks.
