Josh Smith suspended for conduct detrimental

Josh Smith has been suspended one game and has been fined an undisclosed amount for what is being called "conduct detrimental to the team." Josh will miss tonight's matchup with the Nets, which means missing out on going up against his former teammate Joe Johnson. Smith has long been an emotional player on the floor and his frustrations have visibly been building on the court during this recent losing streak.

Danny Ferry released a statement in the release that said, "Josh and I discussed the issue and he understood and accepted this course of action. We are confident that he will respond positively, learn from this experience and come back with a renewed sense of purpose to the team moving forward."

The team also released a statement from Josh in their official release.

"Clearly I am competitive and was frustrated by our recent losses. I understand and respect the team's actions and just want to get back on the court to do whatever is necessary to help my teammates. I apologize for letting them down and apologize to our fans for not being available for tonight's game."

The exact reasoning for the suspension is unclear, but it occurred during or right after the team's shootaround practice and speculation is that an incident occurred during practice and he was sent home.

According to a source, Smith was kicked out of practice Tuesday. #ATLHawks

— Chris Vivlamore (@ajchawks) January 16, 2013

Larry Drew said after practice that the Hawks will, "embrace Josh again," and that he wished it hadn't come to the point of suspending him.