2019 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Ish Smith: 2 years, $12 million (Washington Wizards)
Free agent guard Ish Smith has agreed to a two-year, $12M deal with the Washington Wizards, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2019
As a precursor to the Tomas Satoransky sign-and-trade, the Washington Wizards braced for the loss of their John Wall understudy by signing Ish Smith to a team-friendly deal. In a vacuum, it’s a pretty smart signing, as Smith is a respected backup who can fill in as a starter if need be.
However, the two moves in conjunction don’t make much sense. Satoransky at $30 million over three years represented pretty great value, and even as a team facing major salary cap implications, the Wiz should’ve considered matching that deal rather than downgrading from Sato to Smith … and possibly also Isaiah Thomas.
The Wizards are just trying to hold down the fort in 2019-20 until suitable trades appear or Wall returns, but outside of a more favorable contract, this team just got worse. After not paying Sato, Otto Porter Jr., Kelly Oubre Jr., Bobby Portis and Jabari Parker over the last few years, it’s becoming clear what the endgame is for the team without a GM.
Grade: C+