[EricaLubarsky]

I'm not sure you'd find many people that would prefer Howard over Smith for a variety of reasons
1) Change for change sake-- maybe not a bad motivation. The team has seemed very listless and maybe just a change of personel would improve the team outlook and morale.
2) Coachability-- I dont think Smith has a huge track record but we know that Howard completely tuned out Avery. Will Howard tune out Carlisle? No one knows.
3) Talent-- Howard's defensive intensity is really in question and whether its his ethic or his physical limitation, he cannot guard guards. Smith hustles and moves his feet well but is still raw when it comes to going for shot fakes. Smith is a shotblocking machine. Howard is a better offensive player but chooses his shots poorly-- neither should be taking threes regularly.
4) Fit-- Smith's game would be like Marion's with the Suns-- hustle, slashing without the basket, defending, blocking shots and going for pogo rebounds. While Josh Howard is the more talented offensive player, Howard's game is an iso game that isntfully exhibited on the court and is further diminished by lazy play and an unwillingness to pass. Smith appears to be a much better fit, and I dont think we would lose much offensively while gaining a lot defensively.

Whether or not we are in the running is up in the air but I think there is at least one good argument that Smith would be the better fit here. Bass is the big question mark. While Rhodes has appeared to play like Bass in summer league play, it has yet to be seen if he can translate any of that into NBA play. Rhodes' ballhandling is sub-par, his arms are shorter, his mobility is more limited, his athleticism not as pronounced-- all for a guy that has not showed a reliable jumper.