Pistons release of Josh Smith still presents more questions than answers

Put down the drink, turn down the music and pause the party for a second.

I’m not here to be a buzz kill — I’m just as excited as you all are for this early Christmas gift from StanVan Claus — but this whole Josh Smith being released situation leaves so much to figure out. It seemed like just last night Smith was playing his usual role: Grab some rebounds, dish some assists and missing 10-15 shots in a Pistons loss.

Oh, wait, it was.

Now Smith has been cut — gone, poof — chopped like the scrawny nerd from the JV basketball team. Stan Van Gundy and the Pistons’ released an explanation of their reasoning, and I understand that. At the same time… I don’t get it.

It seems crazy to think Tom Gores, no matter how rich and weird he is, would eat all of Smith’s remaining contract. Like, it’s just crazy on every level — basketball, business, common sense.

You don’t cut guys who are owed $30 million dollars over three years. You don’t eat that kind of cash, even if you’re a bagilionaire like Gores. It doesn’t make sense unless Smith was an absolute cancer in the locker room (or simply in the eyes of SVG), but we’ve never really heard anything supremely damming on that front.

Does this mean Smith was legitimately untradeable without attaching a first-round pick? GILBERT ARENAS was traded! There have been worse guys and worse players AND worse contracts — sometimes all in one! — traded in this league. I just find it impossible to believe they couldn’t have gotten something for him.

But maybe this was the best route to go? By releasing Smith and using the stretch provision, the Pistons will still have to pay him all his money over the next five years, but they’ll actually gain cap space in the process. Smith’s $5ish million cap hit really isn’t that high (and may be better than a similarly high salary, shorter contract acquired in a Smith trade) and it opens the possibility that the Pistons can spend aggressively this summer.

Maybe that’s what Van Gundy’s plan is? Be bad now, grab another young player in the lottery and then try to sign someone young, talented and smart. Like throwing a max offer at Chicago’s Jimmy Butler? Who knows.

It’s just such an odd situation. I’m glad Smith is gone because it was a failed partnership between him and the Pistons. He’ll clear waivers, join a playoff team and probably fit in well. I don’t think he’s as bad as he’s shown. Seriously, I still think he’s good at basketball stuff.

It’s just so unexpected. This is the same franchise that decided not to use the amnesty clause despite having the rotting carcasses of Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva. Maybe Van Gundy just REALLY wants to try to make one last run at Greg Monroe? Maybe he just really hated coaching Smith? Maybe Smith’s darkly comedic Pistons career just needed to end in a similarly dark and comedic way?

Either way, it’s the most shocking move in the NBA this season. And, hey, who knows. Maybe the Pistons will follow Bill Simmons’ Ewing Theory and play significantly better now that Smith is gone?