Just one year ago, Josh Smith was a player in demand. He signed one of the bigger free agent deals of the offseason when he left the Atlanta Hawks for the Detroit Pistons. However, he failed to live up to the hype, posting low stats and failing to exist on the court alongside Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond. Now the Pistons are having doubts about Smith's future with the team and much of that could be dictated by what Monroe does this offseason.
Monroe's free agent run has been nothing but drama. Currently a restricted free agent, Monroe wants his money and not with the Pistons. Currently looking to get out of Detroit, Monroe cannot seem to find a team that will offer him a bigger contract than what the Pistons are willing to match. He wants a long-term deal with any other team than Detroit. However, the Pistons hold the leverage and now all signs point towards Monroe being forced to sign a one-year qualifying offer.
According to Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors, Smith's future will be dictated by what happens with Monroe in the coming weeks. If Monroe leaves Detroit or simply signs the one-year deal, Smith becomes very valuable to the Pistons once again. If the center signs the qualifying offer, he is gone in a season and Detroit will not be able to afford losing Smith. However, if a miracle occurs and Monroe inks a multi-year deal, Smith is out.
Monroe wants out and Myron believes Detroit could seek out a sign-and-trade simply to please the center and get the issues out of the locker room. There are very few teams at this point that would work out a deal, but the Atlanta Hawks might be one of them. Myron reports that the Hawks are continuing to keep their eyes on the situations regarding Monroe and guard Eric Bledsoe and could swoop in for either player if they have a chance.
The Hawks have been linked to both players throughout the offseason, but have yet to make any kind of move. They lack the assets to get a deal for either player done unless they are willing to give up someone like Al Horford or Paul Millsap. The likelihood that this gets done is slim to none. Both the Phoenix Suns and Detroit Pistons are planning on trying to match any offer as all signs out towards Bledsoe and Monroe becoming unrestricted free agents next summer.
