NBA trade rumors: Josh Smith talks back on between Pistons and Kings

Teams looking for third team to help facilitate a deal.

The Detroit Pistons and Sacramento Kings are again engaged in trade discussions surrounding Josh Smith, according to ESPN's Marc Stein.

The teams were reported to have been in deep discussion on a Josh Smith trade shortly before the NBA draft but the Pistons apparently broke those talks off. Now, the teams are communicating again with a third team being sought to help facilitate a deal that would work for all parties.

It's apparent why the Pistons would be obvious -- if the team is truly committed to a long-term future with Andre Drummond at center and Greg Monroe at power forward, there is little room for Smith and his $13.5 million salary.

But what is the appeal from the Kings' perspective of slotting Smith alongside DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay?

Sources say the Kings continue to give the addition of Smith serious consideration, largely because the discussions to date have not required them to part with any players in their long-term plans and would also add a versatile and athletic defender to a roster that badly needs one, given how much Kings coach Mike Malone is known to preach defense.

Kings owner Vivek Ranadive, furthermore, is known to be fond of splashy moves. And trading for Smith, given the lukewarm reviews of his first season with the Pistons, would certainly qualify as bold.

Another potential bonus is Smith's close relationship with Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo, whom Sacramento has been targeting in trade talks for some time.

The Kings, sources say, prefer to trade Terry rather than buy him out of the final year of his contract valued at nearly $6 million, while Terry has said he's interested in a return to the Dallas Mavericks if he's ultimately released and can get to free agency.

Previous trade discussions involved the Pistons sending Smith and getting back Jason Thompson and one of either Derrick Williams or Jason Terry.

It's unclear what bringing in a third team would help facilitate at this point as Terry is in the final year of his deal and would likely be bought out and Thompson, while undesirable for the Pistons would probably be difficult to unload on another team.

There has also been no report of the Pistons trying to offload any other pieces in a deal, whether the long-term contract of Brandon Jennings or even expiring pieces that don't fit such as Will Bynum.

But for now, I believe we have seen enough smoke to believe that there is serious interest in these two teams in consummating some  sort of deal around Smith.

We will bring you more as this story develops.