Didn't Rockets already sign him during training camp?? http://bbs.clutchfans.net/showthread.php?t=212021
That was just a training camp deal (non-guaranteed minimum deal), and he was waived when the team signed Dalembert. Greg Smith is now an unrestricted free agent. He's not on the 15-man roster.
So let's say that the Celtics offer him a contract, can Houston also offer him a contract... and then Smith chooses. You never hear about this; most guys that get called up to the NBA end back up in the D-League so maybe it is much ado about nothing.....
Any other team can offer him a deal and we are screwed. At 20 years old, it would be much more prudent to carry this guy than Adrein..... We are not contending any time soon, we have a giant hole at the 5 spot and this guy is oooozing with potential. That is the kind of guy you need as your 15th man.... DD
I can maybe see a bit of a Tony Battie type there without the veteran savvy. Its been Morris and Greg Smith that are the best Vipers peformers by the numbers. Greg Smith was LEADING the D-League in FG% 2 days ago.
Its almost like in football where coaches seem almost DETERMINED to go "dull over splashy" as a full time practice, so they can prove they know more about the "intricacies" of the game than what is obvious. By preason performance Adrien by a little bit outplayed Greg Smith. Like I indicated, Smith had just 1 field goal, 4 boards and NO blocks. But its seems odd how they COMMITTED money to Adrien instead of just give him a training camp look. Maybe Adrien's AGENT did some string pulling.
Drilling down though... are you saying that were the Celtics to OFFER him a deal it is game-over? Can we simultaneously offer him a deal or could the Raptors do the same... and then does Smith just choose between the Celtics, Rockets and Raptors (for example)? Or is it like WAIVERS where the FIRST team to put in a claim cuts off all other pursuers?
Seriously. He has a ridiculous Karl Malone body, and his skills are far better than we anticipated. He sets great screens and hustles after every board. That in itself would be an upgrade to what we have now. I would cut Thabeet or Hill in a second to sign Greg Smith.
Hold up, it's the D-League. Marcus Fizer looked like a MVP playing there. Adrien was already in Europe. The Rockets had to offer him some kind of incentive to leave money behind. His contract is guaranteed for $150k.
Yeah but he was 25-6 and a 6'6" PF. Smith is a 20YO 6'10" C full of potential and in no way on the downside of anything.
Patterson was still out at the time. I get the feeling they also brought in Adrien so he'd be available for the Vipers when they cut him before Feb 10 (date contracts become guaranteed). He was a Viper last season so they might retain his rights.
Classifying him as "unrestricted" only approaches the situation from the player's standpoint... and partially at that. An UFA can sign with anyone he wants... provided they can afford him. I'm just curious to know if the Rox would have the opportunity to still hold onto him if someone comes after him. If the Clips offer him a deal at 11AM and the Rox learn about it and make him an offer at 12Noon... who gets him? Do the Clips because they were the first to OFFER or does Smith get to CHOOSE. If the Rockets have an "understanding" with Smith, they could keep the status quo without a lot of worry. I've just never heard of it happening, so I'm curious about the mechanics of how this specific kind of player movement works. The devil is in the details...
No, they have no rights to him at all, they waived him, thus the reason he is an unrestricted free agent. No one has any rights to him, he signed a minor league contract with the Vipers if any NBA team offers him a deal he is free to take it and the Rox have no recourse. Smith and his agent is free to choose between one offer, multiple offers anything. He is an unrestricted free agent.... DD
