Injury-plagued Pelicans to sign F Josh Smith, report says

Veteran forward Josh Smith will be joining the Pelicans through an injury hardship exception, The Vertical reported, citing unidentified league sources.

New Orleans was granted an extra roster spot because four players have missed at least three consecutive games, which qualifies them for the injury hardship exception.

Terms of Smith's deal with the Pelicans weren't known. The last time the 12-year veteran played was during the 2015-16 season with the Rockets and Clippers.

The move comes after Anthony Davis left Wednesday's game against the Trail Blazers with an injured knee. An MRI exam came back negative, but he still could miss some time.

The Pelicans already are hurting, with forward Solomon Hill out for the season, and centers Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca and guard Rajon Rondo out for extended periods.