The Clippers are now the second team happy to pay Josh Smith to play somewhere else as the team gives Houston cash with Smith.
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In return, the Clippers pick up the draft rights to Marty Leunen and Sergei Lishouk.
In his defense, Stephenson has posted a better defensive rating than Jamal Crawford, Austin Rivers, and Paul Pierce (per NBA.com), all players who he theoretically would be battling with for minutes.
The Clippers previously considered waiving Smith before finding this trade with the Rockets, but this deal allows them to save $2 million in luxury tax.
Welcome back: The Bucks players and coaches will welcome back head coach Jason Kidd at Monday’s practice session when he rejoins them on a full-time basis. The 30-year-old had only played 51 minutes in 13 games since Christmas, sitting in favor of Cole Aldrich as the Clippers mounted a 10-game winning streak. He was traded there from Detroit early last season.
The reports now out of Houston that Smith was highly respected in the Rockets locker room.
In news that doesn’t concern Josh Smith, TNT Analyst Charles Barkley implied he doesn’t think James Harden should get to play in the All-Star game (by leaving him off his All-Star reserve list) and said he wouldn’t want to play with him. Smith lit up the Clippers in the playoffs with some uncharacteristic three-point shooting and his performance in game six was one of the most memorable moments of the postseason.
As a team, against a bigger opponent, the Rockets had a season-high 10 blocked shots.
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In fact, when facing a second consecutive elimination game in Game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals, Smith was the catalyst who saved Houston’s season. Bickerstaff said he expects Howard to be out three to four more days…. That may not be the only thing that played in Los Angeles decision to trade him though. “Everyone seems to touch it more, and they’re willing to get off of it and move it. When the ball moves like that, we’re hard to guard because we have so many weapons offensively”.
