Rockets get Josh Smith in trade with Clippers
The Houston Rockets have acquired Josh Smith in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Rockets announced Friday.
The Rockets sent the draft rights to Maarty Leunen to the Clippers for Smith and the draft rights to Serhiy Lishchuk. The Clippers also will send cash to Houston to cover the balance of Smith’s salary.
“I’m excited. I feel great,” Smith told Fox 26 Houston about the deal. “It’s a place that I probably should have never left.”
Rockets general manager Daryl Morey also tweeted about the trade Friday.
Welcome back Josh Smith! #bandbacktogether
Daryl Morey (@dmorey) January 22, 2016
The trade was first reported by Yahoo! Sports.
The 30-year-old Smith, an 11-year NBA veteran, averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game after being acquired by the Rockets last season in a trade with the Detroit Pistons.
He then signed with the Clippers as a free agent for the veterans minimum ($1.5 million) in July. His time in Los Angeles hasn’t gone well, as he has set career lows for points per game (5.9), shooting percentage (38.3) and minutes per game (14.3).
Smith spent nine seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and parts of two with the Pistons before joining the Rockets last season. He has averaged 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds per game during his career.
Leunen, a second-round draft pick in 2008, currently is playing for Sidigas Avellino in Italian Serie A. The 33-year-old Lishchuk currently plays in the Ukrainian leagues.
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