Edit: About that 3rd star next or next next year I do not think the second star Howard will still be a star by that time.... Sorry to disappoint but I guess the hunt will be on for the second star that replaces Howard and when the latter becomes a role player
Wow this blows, but as others have said, I'm waiting to see what Morey has up his sleeve. Rivers is another coach that I think could get the most out of Josh Smith. Another good move by the Clippers.
So the Rockets offer him $7.07 mil compared to the Clippers $6.57 mil, and the difference goes up a little bit more once you back out the California taxes. He had the opportunity to play with his good friend Howard (again). He (and his father) claim that Houston was a great fit for him, and it rejuvenated his love/passion for the game. They beat the Clippers last year in the playoffs. Would probably have the opportunity to start numerous games with the Rockets next yr, and with the Clippers he's definitely coming off the bench. All this and he still chooses to sign with the Clips? Something doesn't add up here. Oh well, nothing to see here, move along.
Wow Clippers. Stealing Texas teams their players. Well, DJ technically wasn't in Dallas so... Anyways, LAC building a team to go after San Antonio I suppose. The Spurs got better with LaMarcus but LA starting 5 are practically the same PLUS they got a LOT deeper with the addition of Pierce, Lance and now Josh. Nightmare matchup for them.
Is it really? Smith got 20-25 minutes or more (in the postseason). He might get 10-15 behind Blake, unless they platoon him at SF with Lance as well (which would be awful for all kinds of reasons...)
He leaves one Hack-A-playa team for another. I guess he prefers to be on a team where he is NOT the worst free throw shooter.
Yea, seems a little fuzzy to me as well. I just wonder if there was some behind the scenes "hurt feelings" and if there was I wonder how this will affect Dwight if the rox brass offended "his boy". I guess at this point it is a hurry up and wait to see what Morey has up his sleeve.
To be honest, this doesn't bother me at all. You aren't going to win a championship with multiple guys getting major minutes shooting 45% from the charity stripe. Howard you can deal with because you can hide him for a few minutes
I hope we hack DJ and Josh Smith start to finish. Btw Smith said he went to the CLippers because of a defined role and a chance to win a championship which goes with what I have been saying all along - He does not have the confidence in the pathetic McHale and to a lesser extent Morey to make us real championship contenders
I'm less concerned about Smith leaving, per se, than about his stated reason. If a guy who played half a season with us, and through the WCF, takes less money because he thinks we're not a contender, what does that say about us? Remember Bosh pulling out: He got more money, but Smith took less. The common denominator seems to be doubt among the FAs that we're sound as an organization. Are they right?
With Bosh, he had been to 4 finals in a row. At some point that takes a toll and if you think you're on your last contract, then taking the money now is smart. Josh could be influenced by the moves other contenders made and miffed the Rockets didn't make a harder attempt to keep him. Honestly, if he could hit free throws at a 70% clip I think he's still a Rocket. Morey values threes and getting to the line. A guy like LMA chose the Spurs because they rightly are perceived as a stronger organization with the stronger coach.
Frankly I'm in the camp that thinks Smith left largely because he felt "dissed" by the Rockets. We had the money to pay him, and we didn't, so he split and left a little money on the table mostly out of spite. I simply don't think this is a big loss. He helped us win some, he costed us others.
They doubt McHale has a playbook and in the playoffs the live and die by the 3 pointers strategy is like rolling dices.
He gets to live in LA. Has anyone mentioned this obvious point yet? He didn't choose the Clips over the Rockets. He choose LA over Houston.
So Josh Smith, probably the worst volume 3 point shooter of the modern era, left the Rockets because he disagrees with launching 3 pointers? That's just some great stuff. Keep posting dog.
With Bosh, his wife really wanted to stay in Miami as well. Josh felt like he got Morey-bagged in the face.