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NBA Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons Should Strongly Consider Trading Josh Smith

By @Greg_Sacidor

Chris Humphreys - USA TODAY Sports

Chris Humphreys – USA TODAY Sports

When the Detroit Pistons signed Josh Smith to a four-year deal prior to the 2013-14 NBA season, many thought it was the start of a resurgence for Detroit. But a little more than a year later, and the Pistons need to strongly consider trading Smith.

Prior to the 2013-14 NBA season, the Pistons were looking to put an end to their four-year playoff drought. With Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe already in the fold, they went out to put what they thought were championship pieces around their two young big men. Along with trading for point guard Brandon Jennings, the Pistons went out and signed forward Smith to a four-year, $54 million deal in hopes of once again competing in the NBA’s Eastern Conference.

From day one, Smith has not fit in with the makeup of the Pistons. As a member of the Atlanta Hawks, the 6-foot-9 Smith predominantly played at the power forward position. But with Monroe and Drummond already occupying down low, Smith was forced to transition to the small forward spot. As the team’s small forward, his offensive game revolved around settling for jump shots, rather than operating on the low block. This offensive inconsistency for both Smith and the Pistons led to Detroit finishing the year 29-53 and once again absent from the playoffs. In an attempt to turn the ship around, the organization went out and hired Stan Van Gundy to be both the team’s new president and head coach. The hopes had remained the same; Van Gundy was asked to return the team back to the playoffs.

However, 12 games into the season and the narrative hasn’t changed; the Pistons are 3-9 and Smith is being cited as one of the main reasons the Pistons can’t get off the ground. In 12 games this season, Smith has played an average of 33 minutes per game, good for second on the team. In these 33 minutes, Smith has managed to average 12.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.5 blocks per game. He has also managed to shoot an abysmal 37 percent from the field, including only 20 percent from three-point range.

In the team’s most recent game against the Phoenix Suns, Van Gundy went so far as to bench Smith for the final 16 minutes of the game, which included the entire fourth quarter. This led to a verbal exchange between both parties.

With Smith not performing up to expectations and Van Gundy seemingly losing faith in him, there has never been a better time for the Pistons to consider trading their once-prized acquisition. At the end of this season, power forward Monroe is set to become a free agent, and the Pistons can’t afford to let him walk. Playing opposite of Drummond, Monroe gives the Pistons something that almost every team in the NBA wishes to have, two guys who you can dump the ball into and trust that they will get you a basket.

When he led the Orlando Magic to the NBA Finals back in 2009, Van Gundy built his team around another dominant center, Dwight Howard. With Howard serving as the team’s primary scoring option down low, Van Gundy then surrounded him with three-point shooters at every position. If Van Gundy were to implement this system in Detroit, then the Pistons could be a team to reckon with. However, the only thing that is holding this system up is Smith and his terrible outside shooting.

Even if the Pistons get nothing but expiring contracts in return for Smith, they soon have to just admit defeat and wash their hands of the situation. If they could somehow manage to get a shooter in return then great, but if not, no big deal. With the team going nowhere, and with Smith causing it to do so, the Detroit Pistons need to be honest with themselves and strongly consider trading him.

Greg Sacidor is a Philadelphia 76ers and NBA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Greg_Sacidor or add him to your network on Google.

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