NBA: Jeremy Lin, Best Bargain Contracts For All 30 Teams

The Best Bargain Contract On All 30 NBA Teams

January 4, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Jeremy Lin (7, right) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30, left) during the third quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Hornets 111-101. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

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Jan 4, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Ish Smith (1) high fives fans after scoring against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. The 76ers won 109-99. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Philadelphia 76ers: Ish Smith

2015-16 Salary: $0.9 million (non-guaranteed)

Honorable Mention: N/A

This one’s simple: Ish Smith is making less than $1 million with the Philadelphia 76ers this season, and the way that the team brought him back not long after Jerry Colangelo was hired suggests that they won’t just let him go for nothing this summer. Since he certainly won’t be a max-level player when he re-signs, he gets the nod.

That, along with the fact that damn near the entire roster is on a rookie or non-guaranteed contract, makes Smith an easy choice. The Sixers are 3-3 since they brought Ish back, as opposed to 1-30 in the first 31 games of the season they played without him. Even better, his bond with Nerlens Noel both on and off the court should help the Sixers harness the best of his potential.

Smith isn’t a star in the making, he’s not a very good defender and he’s a horrendous perimeter shooter. But he’s averaging a respectable 14.7 points and 8.2 assists per game, and his return to Philly has galvanized this team into something slightly better than the absolute crapfest they were just a few weeks ago.

Next: Phoenix Suns