J Smooth is headed to the west side.
The former Rockets free-agent has decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers, joining forces with CP3’s loaded roster for a one-year deal at the veterans minimum of $1.5 million.
This was a surprising move for Smith, who was coming off a solid season with Houston after being waived early in the season by the Detroit Pistons. Smith flourished in McHale’s system alongside childhood friend Dwight Howard, seemingly free from restrictions that earlier teams placed on the forward. He was a solid contributor and ultimately the X Factor for the Rockets in the Western Conference Semi Finals. Against his new team, his scoring and rebounding erased a 3-1 deficit, and later on a 19-point second half deficit, to win the series.
Smith, in David West-ian fashion, decided to forgo a lucrative contract with another team in hopes of signing with a title contender and contributing.
In his 11 years with ATL, Detroit and H-Town he averaged 15 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2 blocks and 1.3 steals per game.
Smith is the 25th player in NBA history with over 10,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, 2,000 assists and 1,000 blocked shots. This is a solid move for the Clippers who are stacking the arsenal to make that Western Conference push after signing veteran Paul Pierce and re-signing DeAndre Jordan away from the Mavericks after a forming a Spartan like shield wall in front of his house.
