Years from now, NBA historians will tell a fascinating tale, of the wild, winding odyssey of Josh Smith—of the lives he touched, the fates he altered and the brows he furrowed—if only the historians can explain what happened, how it happened and what the heck it all meansSo when Van Gundy, who replaced Dumars last summer, waived Smith in late December, it was jarring but not entirely surprising. And maybe the results shouldn't be, either.
Smith was using a team-high 24.9 percent of the Pistons' possessions when he was on the court, per NBA.com, and not using them well, making 40.7 percent of his two-pointers and 24.3 percent of his threes.
"At this stage in Josh Smith's career, he's never going to get it," TNT's Charles Barkley said last week, a view shared by many critics.
Without Smith, the Pistons' offensive identity has been sharpened. It's about Jennings' playmaking and perimeter play, with Monroe banging inside and Drummond attacking the rim. Without Smith, the ball moves and the offense flows.
Detroit has also benefited from the recent return of sharpshooter Jodie Meeks and the acquisition of another shooter in Anthony Tolliver. So the resurgence is not entirely about Smith. But it's not entirely not about him either.
"I put it like this," Jennings told Bleacher Report. "This offense isn't meant for just one person to dominate the ball. It's meant for guys to get it, because we have so many options out there, with 'Dre now becoming a better post player, Greg one of the best ones, Jodie Meeks coming off the bench scoring, and things like that. So we have a lot of options."
No one in the Pistons locker room blames Smith for their 5-23 start. ("It definitely wasn't him," Drummond said.) They all speak highly of him. He's well-liked. But there is a palpable sense that they are better off without him, and it comes through subtly, with references to improved ball movement and selfless play.
It doesn't necessarily mean Smith was the problem. Just that, in this case, less is more."I think some guys are more comfortable in getting more opportunities, and so they're playing better," Van Gundy said. "You've taken the guy who had the ball in his hands more than anybody on our team out of the equation. You've split those possessions up among other guys. Everybody's getting more opportunities, so everybody's more comfortable, more confident and in a better rhythm."
No one has flourished more than Jennings, who is averaging 20.3 points and shooting .470 from the field since Smith was dumped, after averaging 12.6 points on .368 shooting in the first 28 games. His assists have ticked up slightly, too, to seven per game. With more opportunities and more freedom, Jennings—once considered a gunner himself—is blossoming into an efficient offensive force.Without Smith, Van Gundy has been free to refashion the Pistons offense in the mold of his old Orlando teams, with one big man—Monroe or Drummond—surrounded by shooters who can spread the floor. The two still start together, but they mostly alternate minutes at center.
The results have been brilliant. In the 10-game stretch without Smith that concluded Monday, the Pistons posted the second-best offensive rating (110.1) and third-best defensive rating (97) in the league.
All because they waived Josh Smith—or so the tale goes."I really don't pay attention," Smith said. "I watch Family Guy, watch Maury Povich...so I really don't really put my ears and eyes to negative publicity."
Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2329215-the-curious-case-of-josh-smith-the-nbas-most-unique-franchise-savior
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