Josh Smith: 'Harder' on family with lower salary

It's time to pass the hat, please, for Josh Smith.

At an introductory news conference with the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, the former Detroit Pistons free agent bust pointed out how the next year is going to be a financial challenge.

"At the end of the day, you know, I do have a family," he said. "So it is going to be a little harder on me this year. But I'm going to push through it, you know."

At the end of the day, I wish I knew.

Smith signed a free agent contract for $1.5 million, but he will get another $5.4 million from his deal with the Pistons. If my math is correct, that's $6.9 million.

Sure, L.A. real estate is crazy. But shouldn't that salary allow him to at least rent a condo in Santa Monica and maybe spring for HBO when the cable guy shows up?

Sitting on stage with Smith on Tuesday was DeAndre Jordan, who caused the biggest stink of the NBA summer when he backed out of his commitment to Dallas and returned to the Clippers.

"I made a decision for me and my family," he explained.

Ah, yes, the family.

That's the human shield athletes routinely hold up to stave off accusations that they might be a tad greedy. Or in Smith's case, that he might be forced to get a second job at Home Depot in order to make ends meet.

I'm all for hardworking Americans like Smith chasing the as big of a pay day a possible. But for the millionth time, could we ban jocks from using the tired take-care-of-my-family shtick?

No rant like this would be complete without a nod to the Patron Saint of Needy Families, Latrell Sprewell.

He once termed a three-year, $30-million offer from the Minnesota Timberwolves "insulting."

"I have a lot of risk here," he explained. "I got a family to feed."

Josh Smith hears you, Spree.

He's got a wife and three kids who must like to eat a lot. Then again, he has banked about $91 million in salary since joining the NBA.

I don't know about you, but if I'd made about $8.3 million per year the past 11 years, I'd like to think I'd have enough in my savings account to feed my family for a few months, if not forever.

Then again, I guess you have to be in Smith's financial position to really appreciate the strain he is facing. So please, if you have a dollar or two to spare, send it to Josh Smith, c/o the L.A. Clippers.

With your help, maybe he can push through.

Video of the Clippers' presser (Smith's comments start around the 14-minute mark):