Rarely would you see a bonafide All-Star player get cut from any team, more so a player named Josh Smith.
Smith, who was surprisingly waived by the Detroit Pistons, made an immediate impact in his debut with his new team the Houston Rockets. Smith scored 21 points and hauled down eight boards to help the Rockets defeat the Memphis Grizzlies in overtime, 117-111.
The Rockets picked up Smith last December 26 after being waived by the Pistons four days earlier. Smith was originally signed in 2013 and was supposedly on a four year contract.
Smith's arrival in Houston all the more bolsters its frontline which of course is led no less by Dwight Howard. And his debut couldn't have come at a proper time with Howard struggling with only six points for the night though most of them came at the crucial plays in overtime.
"When you're a professional, and you've played a lot of years, it's not that hard," Smith said of joining a new team, according to ESPN. "Especially since you know a lot of the guys in the locker room. They helped me out when I was kind of lost our there."
Smith had his best years with the Atlanta Hawks (2004-2013) but has since been able to recall the form that made him one of the most sought after cagers in 2013.
Since word of his availability came out, teams like the LA Clippers, Sacramento Kings, Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat signified their interest in acquiring the power forward.
Smith chose Houston where he was reunited with Dwight Howard whom he played with on the Atlanta Celtics AAU team.
For the Rockets, the addition of Smith allows them to make a serious run this season in the Western Conference against other powerhouse teams which include the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and the surging Golden State Warriors.
