Josh Smith: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent PF

Veteran forward Josh Smith enjoyed a resurgence after joining the Houston Rockets last season. Now that he's a free agent, however, his market has been somewhat slow to develop.

Continue for updates.

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Kings Continuing Talks With Smith; Deal Not Imminent

Sunday, July 5

Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated reported the Kings aren't close to completing a deal with Smith, despite keeping talks going with the forward. 

Fischer first noted the Kings' interest in Smith on July 3. 

Smith signed a four-year deal with the Detroit Pistons two summers ago, but they waived him in December after he struggled out of the gate last season. He landed with the Rockets a few days later and performed better as a role player off the bench:

Team	Games	PPG	RPG	FG%	3PT%
Pistons	28	14.7	8.1	39.1	24.3
Rockets	55	16.9	8.4	43.8	33.0

Smith has never been the most offensively efficient asset, shooting 45.5 percent from the field for his career, but his across-the-board ability gives him value as a complementary option. He can make a noticeable impact at both ends of the floor when playing at his best.

After the season, he talked about being open to a Houston return but admitted there's uncertainty when it comes to free agency, per Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle:

"

I like the future if we can keep all the pieces together. I like what the future holds for us. You never know in free agency what may occur. The city of Houston and this team has definitely embraced me for my individuality and the way I play the game. It would be great to do something special for the city and for this team.

"

While there have been no reported developments on the Rockets' front, it appears the Kings are ready to at least see if a deal is possible.

It's been a busy stretch for Sacramento, starting with trade talk that swirled around DeMarcus Cousins leading up to the draft. After opting against dealing him, the Kings might be looking to upgrade rather than go through a retooling process.

Smith would figure to step into a similar role that he held in Houston, backing up both forward spots and probably playing around 25 minutes per game. He could also see some starts depending on the development of first-round pick Willie Cauley-Stein.

Now that the initial wave of free agency is over, it also wouldn't be surprising if Smith starts to generate more interest from around the league.