Josh Smith knew that there was a price to pay when he agreed to a minimum deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. And apparently, he is now doing the math. And it all sums up to a pretty rough road ahead for the player who opted for a minimum salary presumably to snag an NBA plum.
If not for the additional $5.4 million salary he is owed to by the Pistons (dating up to 2019), one has to wonder if he would have agreed to that minimum deal. At only 28 and already 11 seasons in the NBA, he has amassed $90 million in career earnings. So in a way, Smith may be needing to tighten his belt a bit for the decision he made in the offseason.
The bright side of it is that his deal with the Clippers will only be for a year. So depending on what happens (hopefully win that prestigious NBA title), perhaps Smith can heave a big sigh of relief and start considering the ample pay due to him.
Normally, such a tactic would be made once a player is nearing the end of his playing career. Players who have done that in the past include Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and just recently David West.
All walked away from lucrative deals for an NBA ring but Smith's case is somehow different considering he is in the prime of his career.
Well, it could work, seeing that he could show his value with a minimum contract. He did demonstrate that he's a skillful player with the Houston Rockets last season, actually making his transfer to the Clippers a bit surprising.
Nevertheless, Smith claims that he is with the best team in the Western conference, something that would naturally merit debate from hoop junkies.
At the end of the day and whatever happens, Smith's decision will either be good or a flop as it all hinges how he and the Clippers can prove their mettle this coming season against a wild and wooly western conference that promises to be something to watch.
