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Josh Smith Release: Teams Need Cap Space For Waiver Claim

By Bryan Rose

Nov 5, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith (6) moves the ball defended by New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) in the fourth quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit won 98-95. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 5, 2014; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith (6) moves the ball defended by New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony (7) in the fourth quarter at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Detroit won 98-95. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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NBA teams who want to claim Josh Smith off waivers after he was released by the Detroit Pistons will need enough cap space, which only the Philadelphia 76ers currently have.

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The NBA world was shocked to find out of Josh Smith’s release from the Detroit Pistons on Monday morning.

While Smith didn’t exactly live up to his expectations in Motown, he had been playing well as of late and multiple teams were said to have trade interest in the forward. Alas, the Pistons simply couldn’t get what they wanted for him and decided to waive him using the stretch provision, allowing them to allocate a portion of his salary over a handful of years.

Now he’ll be looking for a new place to call home, but if you’re expecting your favorite team to claim the former All-Star off waivers, you may need to take a step back.

Currently, only the Philadelphia 76ers have enough available cap space to claim the forward off waivers. Will they do so? It’s unlikely but this is a team who previously suggested they would trade for Amare Stoudemire and they could see Josh Smith as a trade piece moving forward.

Still, that’s a significant risk on the part of the 76ers and one you wouldn’t expect them to make.

As for the rest of the NBA, if they want to sign Josh Smith before he clears waivers, they’ll need to make some serious financial moves in the coming hours/days because currently nobody outside of the Sixers has the salary cap room to add him via the waiver process.

Assuming Josh Smith does not get claimed, which most would expect, he will then be free to sign with any team he desires. As of now, there are no known favorites though you’d imagine he’d like to play on the best team possible.

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