Smith had a promising first three seasons as a pro with the Golden State Warriors, but his production took a hit when he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in 1998. After the 1999 NBA lockout, he became a free agent, and was highly sought after. He signed a one-year, $1.75 million deal in Minnesota, well below market value, to allow the team to make other moves that offseason. It was a curious decision to say the least, especially considering he had turned down an $80 million extension with the Warriors prior to being traded, only to find that free agency wasn’t as friendly as he had hoped.

As it turns out, Smith and the Timberwolves had an under-the-table agreement in place, where Smith would sign three one-year deals for very little money, allowing the Timberwolves to acquire his Bird rights, which would allow them to go over the salary cap to re-sign him. He would have then been rewarded with a lucrative contract that would have paid him up to $86 million. This arrangement, of course, was highly illegal, and sanctions came down hard on the Timberwolves when the league found out.