According to Yahoo Sports! writer Adrian Wojnarowski, Josh Smith has been traded back to the Houston Rockets this morning by the Los Angeles Clippers, in exchange for cash and the draft rights to Maarty Leunen.


Visit streaming.thesource.com for more information

Advertisement

Smith signed with the Los Angeles Clippers last off-season after spending one relatively successful year in Houston following a failed stint in Detroit. As a Rocket, Smith averaged 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game, and was a key part of the team’s epic Game 6 comeback against the Clippers in last season’s Eastern Conference Semifinal, scoring 14 4th-quarter points while the team’s star, James Harden, watched from the bench.

Unfortunately, his stint in Los Angeles hasn’t gone as well, and the versatile forward is averaging just 6 points, 4 rebounds while playing just 14 minutes per, down from nearly 26 the season prior. To go along with that, the Clippers stumbled out of the gate this season, and struggled to stay above the .500 mark. Now that they’ve hit their stride–they’re currently 4th in the West at 27-15, and have won 8 of 10 games–it quickly became evident that Smith wouldn’t play a central role in their future.

This revert might’ve come at the perfect time for Houston, who are diligently attempting to overcome the horrid start to their 2015-2016 campaign, that featured several blowout losses and the firing of their coach, Kevin McHale. Currently, the team would claim the 7th seed in the playoffs should they start today, but with the Kings, Jazz and Blazers hot on their tale, Josh Smith could provide a much-needed insurance.