The Houston Rockets re-acquired forward Josh Smith in a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday. Rockets general manager Daryl Morey confirmed the trade on Twitter.
According to Yahoo Sports, the Clippers will send cash to the Rockets to cover the $460,000 that’s left of Smith’s $1.4 million salary and the draft rights to Sergei Lishouk.
The Rockets will give the rights to Maarty Leunen to the Clippers, who had considered waiving Smith, but the trade saves them $2 million in luxury tax.
"I'm excited. I feel great," Smith told Fox 26 Houston. "It's a place that I probably should have never left.Being able to get an opportunity to play for a city and a team and a fan bas that I will always cherish. . . It's amazing.I hope I bring leadership, an opportunity to relieve some pressure off of James and Dwight a little bit . . . Jut to be able to be that glue, that missing piece that they need in order for us to keep going forward.I look at the team as being right there, just missing a couple of pieces and I feel like I'm one of those missing pieces"
Smith was acquired by the Rockets last year in a trade with the Detroit Pistons. He averaged 12 points and six rebounds with the Rockets last year, ESPN notes.
In July, he signed with the Clippers as a free agent. Smith has struggled this season, averaging 5.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks, according toSports Illustrated. His points per game and shooting percentage of 38.3 are career-lows. He has averaged 14.8 points and 7.6 rebounds in his career.
The Rockets are 22-22 and have the seventh playoff seed in the Western Conference.
Welcome back Josh Smith! #bandbacktogether
— Daryl Morey (@dmorey) January 22, 2016
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