NBA veteran Josh Smith is still a free agent with barely a month left before the new season commences. Rumors were out that reigning champions Cleveland Cavaliers are interested in acquiring the high-flying forward's services.
The former NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion last played for the Houston Rockets after he was traded back to the Texas squad by the Los Angeles Clippers in the middle of last season. Smith was supposed to be the Clippers' third big man behind Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, but the experiment never went off the ground for head coach Doc Rivers.
He produced dismal averages of 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 23 games for the Rockets last season, and Houston eventually did not sign him this summer as he became an unrestricted free agent after his one-year, veteran's minimum deal had expired.
There were speculations that team executives are hesitant to sign him not because he is lacking in talent, but because of his overall disposition on and off the court, which is something that he admitted he is working on right now.
"I'm not a guy that is oblivious to my surroundings, I know that changes need to be made," said Smith, as per Yahoo Sports. "It's something that I have done wrong to now be figuring out my next move and figuring out what I need to do to be better. Even yoga this summer has helped me become one with my spirit, body and mind. I've done things to take steps toward bettering myself, having patience."
"I have a lot left to give to this game. I'm ready to go now. I feel like I'm in the best shape, and I've worked extremely hard this offseason. I'm ready," he added.
Smith, 30, was once one of the most explosive forwards in the league especially during his tenure with the Atlanta Hawks, where he spent his first nine years in the NBA. His best season was in 2011-2012 when he averaged career-highs of 18.8 points and 9.6 boards per game, but everything had been on a decline since he was traded to the Detroit Pistons in 2013.
Chat Sports Net reported that the Cavaliers could sign Smith as replacement for Timofey Mozgov, who joined the Los Angeles Lakers via free-agency this summer.
