Josh Smith traded from Clippers to Rockets

He created a stir long before he played his first game when he said that signing with the Clippers would be hard on his family, never mind that he was still making roughly $6.5 million for one season because the Detroit Pistons were paying a hefty chunk of his salary after waiving him a little more than a year ago.

They [teammates] are happy, but I don’t think they’re as happy as I am…I’m happy to be back and I’m ready to get started.

Bringing Smith into an environment with people he is familiar with will surely benefit the team and Smith’s game at the same time. Both Leunen and Lishchuk aren’t expected to play in the National Basketball Association.

Josh Smith couldn’t stop smiling Friday night.

Smith struggled to fit in with the Clippers and didn’t play in 10 of the team’s last 14 games despite being healthy.

Following a trade on Friday, Josh Smith is back with the Rockets.

During a playoff run that included a second-round defeat of the Clippers, Smith averaged 13.5 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists and nudged his long-range conversion rate up to 38 percent.

Still, the Rockets remain just three games out of fifth place in the Western Conference, which could line up a rematch in the first round between the Clippers and Rockets.

Khris Middleton and Greg Monroe led Bucks scoring with 21 points each.

When the Clippers signed Smith, they were hoping that he’d be able to continue the success that he had in Houston as a superb role player.

Bucks: Antetokounmpo had 18 points and six rebounds….

With Smith seeming like a square peg in a round hole situation pretty much from early on in the season, it really isn’t surprising that the Clippers finally made a decision to cut ties with him, especially with Griffin’s return nearing. Ariza buried consecutive 3s to rebuild the lead to 71-64 before Houston scored 10 consecutive points bridging the third and fourth periods, opening its largest lead at 81-66 when Smith converted a layup with 11:48 to play. Bickerstaff said he expects Howard to be out three to four more days. Ariza had 19 points….

Middleton on the team’s failed comeback attempt: “We kept fighting and hung with them on their runs and kept trying to grind it out”. He was an active participant in a locker room yelling spree after a loss to Toronto in November and barked at Clippers Coach Doc Rivers in the midst of a game against Milwaukee in December after Rivers chided him for a defensive breakdown.