Detroit Bad Boys - Pistons waive Josh Smith, will eat remaining salaryA community of Detroit Pistons fans since 2005https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/48119/detroitbadboys-fave.png2015-12-22T19:03:18-05:00http://www.detroitbadboys.com/rss/stream/71986362015-12-22T19:03:18-05:002015-12-22T19:03:18-05:00What a difference a Josh Smith-less year makes
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<p>On Dec. 22, 2014, the Pistons were staring at a 5-23 record, but something great happened that turned it all around...</p> <p>Christmas came early on this day last year. <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2015/12/22/10644740/a-year-ago-today-was-the-pistons-best-moment-of-the-decade" target="_blank">H/T to Crosseyed</a> and DBB Diablo for the reminders!</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">A year ago today, the <a href="https://twitter.com/DetroitPistons">@DetroitPistons</a> were an abysmal 5-23, so they cut <span>Josh Smith</span>. 43-39 since. <a href="https://t.co/c5WMEJNP1T">https://t.co/c5WMEJNP1T</a></p>
— Detroit Bad Boys ☠ (@detroitbadboys) <a href="https://twitter.com/detroitbadboys/status/679400141837631496">December 22, 2015</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">43-39 would've been good enough for the 6th seed in last year's playoffs.</p>
— Detroit Bad Boys ☠ (@detroitbadboys) <a href="https://twitter.com/detroitbadboys/status/679400873009635328">December 22, 2015</a>
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<p>If you want to re-live it, you can check out <a target="new" href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/22/7434595/josh-smith-released-pistons-2014">our 21-update stream on J-Smoove Waive.</a> Or, you know, don't... and watch the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/">Pistons</a> beat the <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Heat</a> to improve to 17-12.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2015/12/22/10655616/pistons-history-josh-smith-waived-yay-holidaysPackey2014-12-23T14:46:45-05:002014-12-23T14:46:45-05:00Monroe on Smith: 'Nobody knew about this'
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<figcaption>Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Also, Stan Van Gundy describes how he delivered the news, and why he opted against attempting to negotiate a buyout.</p> <p>Even though it was the worst kept secret in the world that the <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Pistons</a> were trying to trade <span>Josh Smith</span>, no one expected the team to outright release him — including his teammates. <span>Greg Monroe</span> described the team's stunned reaction upon learning the news prior to Monday's practice.</p>
<p>"Nobody knew about this, as far as players," <a href="http://www.mlive.com/pistons/index.ssf/2014/12/pistons_players_just_as_shocke.html">Monroe said, according to MLive</a>. "Everyone walked to the locker room with the same face, the same thoughts like we didn't know that was about to happen. It's definitely something that's surprising to everyone."</p>
<p><span>Stan Van Gundy</span> knew the move would come as a shock, which is part of the reason why he choose to pull the trigger when the team had four days between games to adjust, both mentally and on the practice court.</p>
<p>"It had to do with a break in the schedule, yes, where you get a little time to adjust, where you figure the news will be a little bit a shock and you give guys a chance to adjust to it and the whole thing."</p>
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<p>When asked how the news was delivered, Van Gundy said he did it with a face-to-face meeting, citing his "great respect for what [Smith's] done in the league" as a reason why he didn't attempt to save money by negotiating a buyout.</p>
<p>"I would never do something like that over the phone," Van Gundy said. "He came in this morning and we sat down and talked. Look, I think — I hope – but I think Josh would say the same thing. He and I have spent a lot of time talking since the time I got the job and I think we've been very honest with each other and he's been the same way for me.</p>
<p>"And we were just straight up, and I basically told him <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/22/7434397/pistons-waive-josh-smith">exactly what was in the release</a>, it's the exact same message. He understood, and I think he appreciated the way the situation was handled. Now, I shouldn't say that because he would have to comment, but it was straight up.</p>
<p>"We didn't mess around with him, we didn't make him bide time and try to fight him over a buyout or anything like that. I truly have great respect for what he's done in the league over 10 years and everything else, and we weren't going to mess around with him at all. I thought it was best for him, I thought it was best for us. He handled it in a straight up manner, he handled it very professionally and I sincerely wish him the best. I hope he finds a great situation."</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/23/7443041/josh-smith-release-pistons-greg-monroe-stan-van-gundyMatt Watson2014-12-23T12:42:49-05:002014-12-23T12:42:49-05:00The Josh Smith Pistons Power Rankings<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/liam_bp/status/547108493233520641">The Josh Smith Pistons Power&nbsp;Rankings</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><a href="http://26.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt7y0eUfsl1qcm16uo1_500.jpg">"We had some great times."</a></p></div>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/23/7441939/the-josh-smith-pistons-power-rankingsliam.bp2014-12-23T08:33:02-05:002014-12-23T08:33:02-05:00Leave @JoshSmith alone
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<figcaption>Time out, you're tweeting at the wrong Josh Smith | Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>A few hours after the <a href="http://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/22/7434595/josh-smith-released-pistons-2014">Detroit Pistons announced their decision to waive Josh Smith</a>, I noticed a handful of folks tweeting at <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith">@JoshSmith</a>. Knowing that Detroit's free agent bust wasn't on Twitter, I was intrigued: who <i>was</i> @JoshSmith?</p>
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<p>Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith">@joshsmith</a> please go to the knicks. I need it. We need it. Derek will let you shoot from everywhere and JR will take you to clubs.</p>
— Jordan (@JaSliver2) <a href="https://twitter.com/JaSliver2/status/547076418119536640">December 22, 2014</a>
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<p>Were folks confused by a parody or fan account? Or was some poor soul with the same name suddenly having his mentions blow up with fans (and the occasional reporter) attempting to recruit the recently unemployed power forward?</p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Clippers?src=hash">#Clippers</a> with <span>Mike Woodson</span> on <a href="https://twitter.com/DocRivers">@DocRivers</a> staff will welcome <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith">@JoshSmith</a>. Need a 3. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/donedeal?src=hash">#donedeal</a></p>
— Mitch Lawrence (@Mitch_Lawrence) <a href="https://twitter.com/Mitch_Lawrence/status/547081558193356801">December 22, 2014</a>
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<p>It took just one click to figure it out, which made scrolling through his mentions even funnier.</p>
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<p>After a few minutes of Google sleuthing, I emailed Josh Smith, whom I now consider the "real" Josh Smith, since he's the only Josh Smith who can lay claim to the eponymous Twitter handle, with a few questions about his sudden popularity among confused basketball fans. As you can see with his answers below, he's generally amused by his accidental fame, even if he's not actually an NBA fan.</p>
<p><b>DBB: Let's get this straight for everyone out there who's confused: you're not the NBA player Josh Smith. So who are you? What would you like to be known for?</b></p>
<p><i>@JoshSmith: I build web and mobile apps for startups, and run a startup called <a href="https://cookacademy.com/">CookAcademy</a> with my wife Molly. Once each month I serve in California’s Army National Guard. Ultimately I’d like to have some large positive impact on the world (like teaching people how to cook) but don’t really care if I’m never personally known for it.</i></p>
<p><b>Do you think the other Josh Smith has ever been confused for you? Do you think you two have much in common?</b></p>
<p><i>I’d like to think that someone has mistakenly tweeted at him and then realized he’s not a white, 5’8" software developer. Do we have much in common? Sure. Both our names start with Josh and end with Smith. I think our shoe sizes are both even numbers. And together we’ve won a combined 1.0 NBA slam dunk contests!</i></p>
<p><b>Do you follow the NBA? If so, what's your favorite team?</b></p>
<p><i>I don’t. I grew up in a family where college football was a religion and we had a pretty pathetic local NBA team, so never got into it. But who doesn’t like playing as the Bulls in NBA Jam?</i></p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/flyhimarley">@flyhimarley</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/nyknicks">@nyknicks</a> I can pose for you, but you'd need to buy me the jersey.</p>
— Josh Smith (@joshsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith/status/547206534841659393">December 23, 2014</a>
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<p><b>I see that you've been on Twitter since 2007 -- did you know there was an NBA player named Josh Smith when you signed up? How long did it take before people started confusing you with him?</b></p>
<p><i>I’d say it took ’til late 2010 or early 2011 for Twitter to hit a critical mass of people who blindly tweet @JoshSmith assuming it’s the same guy. When I signed up I had no idea who he was. Sorry, Josh.</i></p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/Oscar305">@Oscar305</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MiamiHEAT">@MiamiHEAT</a> this is a fantastic idea. I can start learning to basketball tonight.</p>
— Josh Smith (@joshsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith/status/547203333086117889">December 23, 2014</a>
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<p><b>What was your reaction when your Twitter mentions blew up today? And did the barrage of @replies kill your phone battery?</b></p>
<p><i>Mistaken tweets have been filling up my Twitter notifications feed for awhile, so I think I’ve developed a good filter by now. Every once in awhile I’ll @reply someone simply to troll them. Most just laugh, but an odd subset of people rage unbelievably hard about it.</i></p>
<p><b>When's the last time you even played basketball? (Without even knowing the answer, I'm guessing you could beat the other Josh Smith in a game of HORSE.)</b></p>
<p><i>I played winter basketball with some guys from my track and cross country teams. I was horrible. And my wife once tripped on her own hand in a basketball game. We play pickup games in a local park whenever we can overcome our own embarrassment, mostly due to the fact that I play like a disabled ballet dancer.</i></p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/Mitch_Lawrence">@Mitch_Lawrence</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/philjackson">@philjackson</a> I come at a significant discount.</p>
— Josh Smith (@joshsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith/status/547074567571644416">December 22, 2014</a>
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<p><b>The other Josh Smith already has been linked to the Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Clippers. If you were offered a few hundred thousand dollars, which city would you choose?</b></p>
<p><i>Man, none of these are great options. Can I just go to the Knicks instead? It’s New York, and even I would probably be a decent trade for them at this point. </i></p>
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<p><a href="https://twitter.com/WusGoodQ">@WusGoodQ</a> I have no plans to go to Dallas.</p>
— Josh Smith (@joshsmith) <a href="https://twitter.com/joshsmith/status/547203729988915200">December 23, 2014</a>
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<p><b>The other Josh Smith has seen his career nosedive the last couple of years. Do you have any advice for him?</b></p>
<p><i>Josh, if you haven’t already done so, you need to start diversifying your assets. And in the worst case scenario you can pretend you’re me on Twitter and maybe get away with being a software developer.</i></p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/23/7439293/josh-smith-twitterMatt Watson2014-12-23T08:00:02-05:002014-12-23T08:00:02-05:00Smith's play was biggest reason for Pistons' woes
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<figcaption>Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Josh Smith played one hundred and five games with the Pistons. He didn't help the team win nearly often enough. </p> <p>Few Piston players have been as polarizing as <span>Josh Smith</span> has been over the past year and a half. During that time, Smith played one hundred and five games in the red, white and <a href="https://www.detroitbadboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Pistons</a> blue, and the Pistons won only thirty-three of those games - a staggeringly bad thirty-one percent.</p>
<p>At his best, Josh Smith is a versatile point forward, capable of initiating the offense, taking it coast-to-coast after a board or steal, passing better than anyone at his position, and defending any position on the floor. Anyone who watched the Pistons faithfully over the past two seasons has seen glimpses of this Josh Smith. When we've seen it, it's been amazing.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we didn't see it nearly enough.</p>
<p>Too often, we saw a disinterested Josh Smith, content to take one bad shot after another, to jog back on defense, and to stand around uselessly when he didn't have the ball in his hands. That Josh Smith is what many Pistons fans will remember, the Josh Smith that actively led the Pistons to the lottery (in which they didn't actually have a pick), followed by one of the worst starts in franchise history.</p>
<p>To be crystal clear, this is the point I want to make: as a Piston, Josh Smith was terrible, and his play was a significant factor in the team's performance over the past one hundred plus games.</p>
<p>To make this case, I'm going where I often do, to the stats. Specifically, I'll be using a measure called Win Score (learn all about it <a target="_blank" href="http://wagesofwins.com/2007/02/17/using-win-score/">here</a>). Put simply, Win Score is a relatively simple measure based on a player's box score production. By Win Score, a team of "average" players would be expected to win half their games, or forty-one games per season. An "average" player - based on data from 1979-2014 - has a win score of 5.77 averaged across all five positions.</p>
<p>However, we can be more specific. Win Score is position adjusted, so we can compare point guards to point guards, small forwards to small forwards, and so on. For small forwards, that number is 5.10, for power forwards, 6.70 - the two relevant numbers for Josh Smith, who spent his time at these positions. For simplicity, we'll average the difference of these two positions, 5.9.</p>
<p>So to recap, a team of "average" players would be expected to win half their games, and an "average" SF/PF like Josh Smith produces a Win Score of 5.9. So, in order to be above "average," Josh Smith needs to produce a Win Score of 5.9 or greater.</p>
<p>And here is where it gets ugly.</p>
<p>As a Piston, Josh Smith was above average in only <i>forty-two games</i>. Josh Smith, the highest-paid player in Pistons history, the team leader in shots and minutes, was an above-average performer in less than half of his games.</p>
<p>But it gets far, far worse.</p>
<p>In twenty-one games, Josh Smith produced a Win Score of 0.00 or less. And in sixteen of those games, Smith's Win Score was <i>negative</i>.</p>
<p>It was that bad - about fifteen percent of the time, Josh Smith was actively taking wins off the board. To put it another way, out of an eighty-two game season, Josh Smith was taking wins off the board in twelve of them. That is incredibly difficult for any roster and coach to overcome, much less this one.</p>
<p>Hopefully, it goes without saying that by all accounts Josh Smith is a good human being. There's nothing personal in this admittedly harsh critique.</p>
<p>But Josh Smith the player? By the numbers, he was the single most significant reason the Pistons have lost as many games as they have.</p>
<p>No, it's not all on Smith. A team this bad never has just one problem, and this team had a lot to figure out with or without Smith. But, a lot of it was.</p>
<p><span>Stan Van Gundy</span> will likely receive a lot of criticism in the coming weeks - especially if Josh Smith figures out how to turn his production around elsewhere - but today, I applaud this gutsy decision. It was the right decision now, and it's the right decision for the future, which - finally - begins now.</p>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/23/7434699/josh-smith-released-detroit-pistons-stats-win-scoreBen Gulker2014-12-22T17:40:31-05:002014-12-22T17:40:31-05:00Brandon Jennings on Josh Smith being released<blockquote>
<p><p>"We all know in this league and there's no hiding it, when you're making the big bucks and you're the guy, and you don't produce, fans and media look at you like what's going on?" said point guard Brandon Jennings. "And that goes for anybody in this league."</p></p>
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<div class="source"><p><a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2014/12/22/pistons-waive-josh-smith/20761745/">From Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News</a></p></div>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/22/7437359/brandon-jennings-on-josh-smith-being-releasedMatt Watson2014-12-22T16:07:56-05:002014-12-22T16:07:56-05:00Our favorite Josh Smith moment<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/detroitbadboys/status/547133440127021056">Our favorite Josh Smith&nbsp;moment</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>Was there <a href="http://www.freep.com/story/sports/nba/pistons/2014/12/22/detroit-pistons-josh-smith-reaction/20769315/" target="new">any doubt as to what it is? </a></p></p></div>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/22/7436287/our-favorite-josh-smith-momentPackey2014-12-22T15:54:48-05:002014-12-22T15:54:48-05:00Josh Smith's decline in one chart<h3 class="link-title"><a rel="nofollow" href="https://twitter.com/hoopshype/status/547123618996838400">Josh Smith's decline in one&nbsp;chart</a></h3>
<div class="description"><p><p>I don't think that's good.</p></p></div>
https://www.detroitbadboys.com/2014/12/22/7436219/josh-smiths-decline-in-one-chartMatt Watson