Why we should have kept Josh Smith

[Navas]

Dumping Smith was the only thing that could've been done. Trying to dump Smith would've been like trying to replace the motor on a car. Expensive and better to just cut the losses and move on.

He added nothing to the team, on court or off court.

[Fishasaurus]

We dumped him and instantly gained chemistry and seen some smiles on our young players. We now have no bad contacts, a lot of cap space, two building pieces in Jackson and Drummond and a top 8 pick. Stan made the right move and the team actually has some direction for once.

Never did I say we had to take whatever garbage might have been offered, just that I would have preferred to wait til the deadline to release him then if that was the best option, because a lot can change between December and February. I don't think its unreasonable to say a few more teams would have had interest in February than December.

On the chemistry, yeah it was nice. But the post-Smith win streak at the end of the day is nothing more than a feel good story. Jennings/KCP/x/Monroe/Drummond showed they could have a nice thing. But Monroe is walking, and Jennings was replaced (upgraded...?) as starting PG by Jackson.

We still would have had everything you said aside from that had we separated Josh from the team in December and held onto him until the deadline and released him them, and even then we would have experienced a similar chemistry boon after his February departure. Or we might have even had other assets.

But that's all said with 20/20 hindsight. I agree with everything you said for the overall future health of the team... except I'm not excited about cap space.

[MrBigShot]

Pistons with Josh Smith ---> Losing Culture, 5-23 record

Pistons w/o Josh Smith ---> Moving away from losing culture, 27-27 record, .500 ball which would net a bottom 3 seed in the East had we played like this from the get go.

That's really all that needs to be said.

[DetroitSho]

How does this thread still have life?

[Snakebites]

How does this thread still have life?

Because there is topical discussion happening?

[DetroitSho]

How does this thread still have life?

Because there is topical discussion happening?

You missed my point, I'm not looking for it to be locked. I'm trying to figure out how is there anyone on Earth that would give credence to the idea that keeping Josh Smith a second longer would've been anything but bad.

[Snakebites]

How does this thread still have life?

Because there is topical discussion happening?

You missed my point, I'm not looking for it to be locked. I'm trying to figure out how is there anyone on Earth that would give credence to the idea that keeping Josh Smith a second longer would've been anything but bad.

Yeah, I don't get it either.

Nobody was traded for Smith when he had 3 years left on one of the worst contracts in sports, not without asking for a pick in return. I think people forget that it cost us a first rounder just to unload one year of Ben Gordon's contract.

[Fishasaurus]

How does this thread still have life?

Because there is topical discussion happening?

You missed my point, I'm not looking for it to be locked. I'm trying to figure out how is there anyone on Earth that would give credence to the idea that keeping Josh Smith a second longer would've been anything but bad.

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/close-mindedness

any of those second through fifth quotes. You don't have to agree with me, but what I am saying is not off-the-wall crazy.

This is a discussion board. Popular opinion is not the only opinion.

[DetroitSho]

Because there is topical discussion happening?

You missed my point, I'm not looking for it to be locked. I'm trying to figure out how is there anyone on Earth that would give credence to the idea that keeping Josh Smith a second longer would've been anything but bad.

http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/close-mindedness

any of those second through fifth quotes. You don't have to agree with me, but what I am saying is not off-the-wall crazy.

This is a discussion board. Popular opinion is not the only opinion.

Dude who are you freaking Nietzsche? Here's a quote,
"NOBODY with a brain that actually watched Josh Smiff play could think there was some net positive redeeming factor to keeping him on this team".
This whole premise is based on SVG potentially having not done 100% due diligence like he's lazy in his work. SVG has to be one of the most meticulous people in the game. I lean on the side of him having turned over every stone looking for a deal that didn't leave us worse off than just releasing him. Didn't you hear the story of his interview with Gores when they were negotiating his hire? Dude came in with a huge binder with contengicies to deal with everything involving the team. And I'm willing to bet he always knew from the beginning and discussed as much with Gores that the stretch provision was always in their back pocket "in case of emergency".

You can think his value could've improved up to the deadline. But SVG himself thought he could improve Smiff's value from the gutter last offseason to at least just barely negative. He started him, played him at PF, built the offense around him, coached him to play to his strengths, and he was even WORSE this season than the abortion that was last season. After watching him getting worse and worse as the season went along, what reason would there be to believe his value could improve, by the way for $13 million +? SVG saw this situation slipping further and further outta control and hit the reset button. I'll be willing to believe he called all 29 teams looking for a deal before I believe he didn't do due diligence, and CERTAINLY before I believe Smiff would ever be seen as a positive asset FOR $13 MILLION.

[Fishasaurus]

Dude who are you freaking Nietzsche? Here's a quote,
"NOBODY with a brain that actually watched Josh Smiff play could think there was some net positive redeeming factor to keeping him on this team".

Here's another quote: "actually read what I have been saying instead of letting your (understandably) seething hatred for the man blind you to anything but what you want to see"

Here is what I imagine your and Snakebites reading of my original post went like...

RAGH RAGH RAGGHT

RAGH RAGH RAGGHTRAGH RAAAA RAGH

But we should have kept Josh Smith.

RAGH RAGH RAAAA RAGH

When the point I wanted people to take away was...

Let me be clear: I was glad when he was released. I thought it was a ballsy move, perhaps a statement move to the other guys, that not many would do. But the more I think about it (hindsight 20/20 etc etc), I would have liked to hold on to him until the trade deadline. Even if he weren't with the team and it were one of those bull injury/he's not traveling with the team anymore kind of things. I do trust that SVG explored everything he could at the time, but dynamics change as the season rolls on and playoff standings and posturing become more defined.

Instead I get people being insulting about how I don't watch the games (a claim with zero basis), or some of the more extreme cases of "how on Earth could anyone have a different viewpoint than me, IDIOTS" I've seen on this board in my short time lurking and now posting.

For the umpteenth time - I agree! Smith was terrible. He was a cancer. He was a terrible signing originally, and I'm glad he's gone. I am simply arguing the timing.

Let's play hypothetical. Smith is asked to leave the team instead of being released on December 22nd. He is away from the team, but still maintained as an asset. Everything else happens as it did during the season, except we have to release Smith around the deadline. We still trade for Jackson. Jennings still gets hurt. Only difference is SVG gives himself a chance to move him at the deadline. A lot changed in the league over those two months, especially with the playoff picture in the West. Maybe we only have a 5% chance of getting rid of him. Fine, we still have to release him. Better than the 0% chance we had given the course SVG took.

I understand the Smith hate. I really do. I can appreciate that every one of you here might hate him with the fire of a thousand suns. I'm glad he's gone too. I never liked him as a player in general, and I really really really hated him here. But there are two sides to every coin, and its not as simple as "BURN THE WITCH." From a business standing, you don't set ablaze your most expensive asset without exploring every option. I am sure SVG did up to that point, but most personnel activity happens in February, and I think he did a disservice by not waiting until then. I don't expect everyone or even anyone to agree with my assertions, but when you are that closed-minded and just rude about it... well I just don't get it. We're all fans of the same team here.

I agree with everything you said about SVG. And this is purely speculative and maybe off topic, but you don't think SVG was chomping at the bit to drop his GM hammer after the experiences with personnel he had at his previous stops? Not saying this is true, but at least entertain the notion that his release might have been a little premature, and there might have been an iota of a "that felt gooood" moment of purging a headache because he could.

And if you can't at least appreciate my opinion on any level, I feel bad for you son. You got 99 problems and your ability to have open and rational discussion is one.

[Han Solo]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQCU36pkH7c[/youtube]