Combo forward Josh Smith is making the move from one Western Conference powerhouse to another. The ex-Rocket has agreed to terms on a deal with the Los Angeles Clippers which will pay him the league minimum reports RealGM’s Shams Charania:
Free agent Josh Smith has reached agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers, league sources tell RealGM.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 16, 2015
Smtih will now be playing on his third team in a two year span: the Detroit Pistons, Rockets, and the Clippers. Though he’ll be earning the minimum in Tinsel Town, Smith is still owed $5.4 million annually from Detroit. He’s always been a great player dating back to his days with the Atlanta Hawks, but his game has became much more erratic without a reliable jumpshot over the past couple years. However, he did play a key role in the Houston Rockets tear throughout the playoffs which landed them a spot in the Western Conference Finals.
The Clippers have improved substantially this offseason, being able to retain Austin Rivers and DeAndre Jordan. They also added outside talent that comes in the forms pf Paul Pierce, Lance Stephenson and now Josh Smith. Smith won’t start but he looks to play a similar key role to that which he played in Houston.
