UPDATE: Team's press release: <HR> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Replaced in the rotation by Cole Aldrich, Greg Smith was sent to D-League.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/status/300663193884323841">10. Februar 2013</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> Good. Good. Smith had been terrible lately. I hope he gets the message.
Whoa! Second year player? That's gotta sting his confidence. Hopefully he turns this into a positive situation
Maybe they will work with him on shoelace tying at RGV? Also, seems Aldrich may be getting "showcase minutes." Chicago Bulls can use him with Noah's plantar fasciitis.
I really don't want to see more Aldrich. I'd rather see Greg Smith foul everyone than watch how inept Aldrich looks for most of the game.
Lol, I kind of feel bad for him. He was all happy on Twitter visiting his home state of California. Now he has another long flight, to the valley.
And they also have White and Goudelock, completely forgot about that. They're well on their way to winning the D-league championship in all honesty.
With Jones already down there, and Royce White scheduled to arrive there tomorrow, and now Smith. I'm guessing one of either Jones or White will be playing SF on the Viper's squad.
This is the reason. Aldrich hopefully is worth a second rounder (plus a salary matching non-prospect).
Well, Smith has nobody to blame but himself. His effort level clearly wasn't as high as earlier in the year, he seemed to lose focus at times and appeared to not always play within the offense. I don't think Aldrich is very good, but Smith wasn't getting the job done lately himself, either. Still, long-term Smith probably is a keeper. Aldrich is not and with the deadline approaching Aldrich may actually up his value some. Can't get much, if any worse, really -- worst case scenario he's a $2.5M expiring contract with no value as a player.
I wonder if he did something wrong just now or if something happened. Timing is curious. Why not send him to RGV BEFORE they flew out to SAC? Why do it just now?
I didn't like how Smith was playing lately. We usually get killed on the boards when he and Morris play together on the second unit as well.
Press release: Rockets Assign Greg Smith to the Vipers HOUSTON – Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey announced today that the team has assigned center/forward Greg Smith to Houston’s single-affiliation NBA D-League partner the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Smith (6-10, 250, Fresno State) is averaging 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 44 games with the Rockets this season. In his rookie campaign of 2011-12, Smith averaged 16.6 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.15 blocks in 26 games (21 starts) with Rio Grande Valley. He was also selected as a 2012 NBA D-League All-Star. Smith finished as the 2011-12 D-League leader in field goal percentage (.668, 185-277 FG), was tied for 10th in the league in double-doubles (10), tied for 10th in rebounding average (7.8) and was 16th in blocks per game (1.15).
I have no problem with this. Aldrich is getting minutes with the deadline coming up. Send Smith down and let him play and get some confidence back. Hopefully he turns it into a positive situation. He will if he ever wants to amount to anything in the NBA.
Damn I thought this guy had turned the corner. I know he hasn't played great lately, but his numbers are still strong over the whole season. Maybe this is just a wake up call and he'll be back ASAP.
