Josh Smith's way back into the NBA could take him to The Big Easy.
The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly working out a number of forwards to potentially fill the void left by the injured Solomon Hill, with Smith being one of those players, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski said on The Woj Pod.
Hill will be out of action for the next 6-8 months after surgery to repair a proximal hamstring tear in his left leg.
Chase Budinger and Martell Webster are also reportedly at the workouts.
Smith recently competed overseas in the Chinese Basketball Association for the Sichuan Blue Whales, leaving the team in January after averaging a double-double of 18.7 points and 10.6 rebounds in 30.9 minutes.
His last NBA outing came during the 2016 playoffs as a member of the Houston Rockets, playing five minutes off the bench in a series-ending loss to the Golden State Warriors.
Smith is only 31 years old, and was touted for his length, athleticism, and shot blocking during the heyday of his pro career.
He averaged 14.6 points on 45.3 percent shooting, 7.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.9 rejections over 12 seasons with the Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Clippers.
The Cleveland Cavaliers had held discussions with Smith in March about possibly bringing him on after losing center Andrew Bogut to a fractured leg, but ultimately went with big man Larry Sanders.
- With h/t to CBS Sports
