In a stunning development, the Detroit Pistons waived forward Josh Smith, who is still owed $27 million over the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons, the team announced Monday.
The Pistons will reportedly use the NBA's stretch provision to stretch Smith's remaining salary over the next five years.
The Pistons will pay $5.4M a year on stretch provision for Smith, creating added $8.1M in cap space next two summers.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) December 22, 2014
Related: Clippers, Kings, Mavericks, Rockets interested in Smith
"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," Van Gundy said in a statement from the 5-23 Pistons, continuing:
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.
Smith's fall from grace in Detroit since signing a four-year, $54-million contract last summer has been well documented. A former All-Defensive team member with the Atlanta Hawks and an excellent interior scorer, the natural power forward was used as a small forward in his first season with the Pistons last year alongside fellow big men Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond, to disastrous results.
Smith has been used at the four much more often this season under Stan Van Gundy, but the results haven't changed much. The 29-year-old is shooting 39 percent from the field and 24 percent from 3-point range, yet he continues to attempt more than one 3-pointer per game. More than 35 percent of Smith's field goal attempts come from 16 feet and beyond, according to Basketball Reference, an undisciplined number for such a pitiful shooter.
Smith's scoring average of 13.1 points is his lowest mark in nine years, as is his 7.2 rebounding average, and the Pistons have performed 10.3 points per 100 possessions better with Smith on the bench as opposed to on the court, according to NBA.com.
If there's a positive to be found in Smith's performance this season, it's his passing. His 4.7 assists per game are a career high, as is his assist percentage (percentage of teammate field goals he assists while on the court) of 27.0 and his assist ratio (assists per 100 possessions) of 20.5.
If a team out there can capitalize on that improved passing while utilizing Smith as a defensive power forward, while convincing him to ditch the outside shooting, he can still be an impact player. All of that is easier said than done, however, as Van Gundy surely learned.
