Josh Smith waived by Detroit Pistons
The 5-23 struggling Detroit Pistons have waived forwad Josh Smith. The team made the news public via an official announcement made by General Manager and Head Coach Stan Van Gundy:
"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. 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."
The 10 year veteran was averaging 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists (career high) per game this season. While the stats might not look that bad, he is clearly underperforming for a player who earns 13.5 million dollars a year. The Pistons signed him as a free agent in the summer of 2013.
The teams looking to pick him up will have to pay the remaining fees for the duration mentioned on the contract he signed with Detroit which is 2 years and 26 million. If Smith is not picked up by any team for that price he will become a free agent and has the right to sign with the team of his choice.