Sacramento Kings Trade Rumors: Josh Smith Still A Target
By Evan Massey
The Sacramento Kings are still very interested in acquiring Josh Smith from the Detroit Pistons.
Rumors were swirling this past offseason regarding the Detroit Pistons trying to trade Josh Smith, but they couldn’t find a taker that would give them the type of return that they were looking to get back. The rumors haven’t been as widespread since the start of the season, but the Pistons have still been talking trade surrounding Smith.
According to a report from Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News, the Kings are still interested in acquiring Smith from the Pistons.
"The Sacramento Kings are still interested in Smith, a source told The Detroit News. The man with final say, Van Gundy, turned down the Kings proposal over the summer — one that amounted to a pu pu platter of talent relative to Smith’s, as he wanted a chance to see if he could unlock all of Smith’s versatility and turn it into consistency."
Smith hasn’t had a bad season in Detroit, but he simply doesn’t fit into what Stan Van Gundy wants to do. Take a look at his numbers so far this season:
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 12/17/2014.
It certainly hasn’t been a “terrible” season for him, but he also hasn’t improved his shooting numbers or slowed down his shot attempts. He is a very good defensive player when he puts his mind to it, but those times are few and far between these days. Detroit is getting fed up with the style of basketball that he has played this season, and they want to cut their losses as soon as possible.
Sacramento would be a very intriguing destination for him, but it’s hard to believe that he would fit well with the Kings. They already have DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay, and there likely wouldn’t be enough shots to go around to keep Smith happy.
More from Hoops Habit
- The 5 most dominant NBA players who never won a championship
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
The Kings are finally a team with some talent and the potential to make a run in the Western Conference in the next year or two. Smith might be just the thing that tears them apart, or it’s possible that he could be the glue guy that comes in and takes them to the next level. It’s always a danger to make a trade for a player struggling on his current team, but the Kings appear to believe that they can work him into their lineup well.
When everything is said and done, the Kings have to do what they feel is best for their franchise. If they truly think that acquiring Smith can propel them towards the playoffs, then they need to make the move.
Expect to hear plenty more rumors surrounding Smith being shopped by the Pistons over the next few weeks.