The rumoured trade that would send Detroit Pistons small forward Josh Smith to the Charlotte Hornets appears to be an interesting move for both teams, according to NBA analyst Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.
Smith, who has been subject of trade rumors after a subpar first season with the Pistons, has been linked to several trade scenarios this summer, with the Sacramento Kings pushing hard to get the athletic swingman.
However, the up-and-coming Hornets also seem interested in getting Smith, who averaged 16.4 points, 3.3 assists and 6.8 rebounds per game last season, and Kennedy had a solid take on the potential trade.
"It's interesting. The Pistons are definitely open to moving Josh Smith, but the question is what would the Hornets have to give up? I wouldn't give up anything significant to land Smith. He is coming off an awful season and his contract is hideous," Kennedy stated.
"If Charlotte can snag him for pennies on the dollar because his trade value is at an all-time low, it could be a good move, but there's no way I'd part with anything of value to acquire Smith."
Coming off his worst statistical year since his rookie season, the 28-year old Smith saw his trade value plunged miserably in only one year with Detroit. Kennedy stressed that getting Smith won't require interested team to let their young prospect or high draft pick walk away in exchange for the veteran forward.
With Stan Van Gundy coming in as the new coach of the Pistons, many analyst believed Smith will struggle in the new system that will feature Andre Drummond as the focal point of their offense.
Still, despite the criticism on Smith and the huge four-year, $54 million deal he signed last year, there are still teams willing to make a gamble on him. For Charlotte, landing Smith would give them a player capable of anchoring their defence along with putting up solid numbers across the boards.
The Hornets could simply throw in a combination of Gerald Henderson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a draft pick for the Pistons. With the arrival of Lance Stephen and Marvin Williams, Henderson and Kidd-Gilchrist became dispensable. Although Kidd-Gilchrist could still develop into a solid player, Smith is still a better option because of his versatility to play both forward positions.
For more NBA rumors, read more at Travelers Today
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
