Smith reportedly meets with Rockets, Pistons

Josh Smith reportedly met with the Rockets and Pistons Monday as he took his first steps in free agency.

The Houston Chronicle reported Smith spoke to the Rockets, who also met with Smith’s former AAU teammate, Dwight Howard. Several other media outlets reported that Smith met with the Pistons at 12:01 Eastern time, the official start of the NBA’s free-agent period.

Players and teams can meet and agree to deals in principle but cannot sign contracts until July 10.

Smith spent nine seasons with his hometown Hawks after they selected him with the No. 17 overall pick in 2004. He is in the top 10 in most franchise statistical categories, including games, points and rebounds.

Hawks general manager Danny Ferry was non-committal in the possibility of re-signing Smith.

“Josh has been a valuable part of the Hawks for the past nine years,” Ferry said Monday. “We appreciate and respect what he has done. I also respect that he enters unrestricted free agency for the first time and wants to consider his options. We are in the same situation and we have to determine what is best for us moving forward as well.

“We will certainly communicate with Josh and his agents.”

The Rockets, along with the Bucks, were close to a trade-deadline deal for Smith in February.

Pitch to Howard: Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson, new coach Mike Budenholzer and Ferry are part of the Hawks contingent in Los Angeles to speak to Howard.

“We’ll sit down and have a conversation with Dwight and see what Dwight’s thoughts are, what questions he might have and explain our intent on how we are going forward,” Ferry said.

Howard, from Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, is also being pursued by the Lakers (his last employer), Mavericks and Warriors. He can sign a maximum deal with the Lakers worth five years and $118 million. Another team, barring a sign-and-trade, could pay him $88 million for four years.

Teague offer: The Hawks' qualifying offer to guard Jeff Teague was $4.5 million. The deal is a one-year, guaranteed contract for the restricted free agent. The Hawks have the right to match any offer from another team.