Josh Smith doesn’t want to leave Houston, and Rockets GM Daryl Morey doesn’t want him to go when he again becomes a free agent this summer, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The deal that Smith signed with Houston in December covers just the remainder of 2014/15, so the sides will have to agree to a new contract to continue their partnership. The Rockets have wanted the versatile frontcourt player since before he left the Hawks in 2013, according to Wojnarowski, and Smith showed why Tuesday, coming two rebounds and an assist shy of a triple-double while scoring 15 points in just 25 minutes in a Game 2 win.
The Rockets have only Non-Bird rights on Smith, meaning that they can’t exceed more than 20% of the $2.077MM they’re paying him this season, an amount that would come to $2,492,400, without using cap space or another exception. The Rockets have about $54.5MM on the books against a projected $67.1MM salary cap for next season, a figure that doesn’t include roster charges, other cap holds and non-guaranteed salary, all of which would make it difficult for Houston to give Smith a significant raise without using its mid-level exception. Smith is set to receive $5.4MM from Detroit each of the next five seasons via the stretch provision, and while a portion of that figures to be set off by the amount that Smith makes on his next deal, it gives him greater leeway to pass up more money elsewhere if he prefers to stay in Houston for less.
The client of Brian Dyke and Wallace Prather has played some center for Houston, and the Hawks and Pistons put him at small forward in the past, but he’s chiefly a power forward, and a renewed commitment to Smith would seemingly complicate the futures of Terrence Jones and Donatas Motiejunas. Those two power forwards are up for rookie scale extensions this summer and would be set for restricted free agency in the summer of 2016 if they don’t get them.
Rondo may have not been a good fit for Dallas, but you can not blame this man for Dallas deficits. He is talented and not a prima dona. Dallas wanted a a superhero, but forgot to ask if he could fly. The only consistent player on this team was Al Faroq Aminu…..ALL YEAR, except when he had the shoulder injury,but he got himself together. Sorry Dallas knew what they were getting with Rondo, he is a PG, and they were aware he was not a shooting machine. Carlisle in half a season wanted to turn this guy into something he was not. Nobody mentioned that Rondo was so focused on Rick calling EVERY SHOT, that he got that violation called on him. I think Dallas has been very unfair to Rondo. Dallas has always had aome talent, but not defensive minded. Rebuilding every year….it is a bad organization, but expects miracles at the end of the season. Chandler Parsons is a pretty boy, who is talented, but easily intimidated….he is soft. Dirk blames everybody on the court in front of everybody, but has been extremely inconsisistent all year. He is missing open shots that he is suppose to hit. Free throws, those are freebies, no excuse being in the NBA shooting under 85% in free throws. Everyone of the Mavericks have to take responsibility for what has happened. You CAN’T always leave things up to other teams injuries or playing poorly, sometimes, ALL THE TIME YOU HAVE TO PLAY YOUR GAME. No blaming one guy,poor officiating etc….YOU GOT TO PLAY AND NOT LEAVE IT TO THE LAST MINUTE AND DECIDE YOU ARE READY TO PLAY. Mark Cuban needs to shut his big MOUTH, and supply the team with what they need and stay out of everything else. I am so sick of him bad mouthing other teams, then have to eat his words….it is so lame. My point is Rondo is not to blame for this team’s lack of effort, fire in the belly, and CARLISLE IS NOT GOD. Dallas is a mediocre team with some talented players….that is all, and who’s fault is that. Offense brings in people to the stadium and defense wins games, just ask Pop…..now he is a coaching MACHINE.
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