Washington Wizards: Complete grades for the 2019 NBA offseason
By Ben Yokoyama
Sign Ish Smith
The Ish Smith signing did not come as a surprise. The Washington Wizards needed veteran presence and a true point guard on their roster. The nine-year veteran fills both those roles exceptionally.
While Smith will not carry the team in the points category, he moves the ball well and can run an offense too. Standing 6’0”, he is very quick and can score the ball in isolation. He is not a great 3-point shooter, but he is a smart player who knows his game and the strengths of his teammates.
The biggest knock on Smith is his defensive ability because of his size. After the signing of, spoiler alert, Isaiah Thomas the next day, it restricted Scott Brooks because those two will not be able to be on the court at the same time for defensive purposes.
Overall, the Wizards had a need and filled it. Smith, who will play for his 11th different team, has been a consistent player the last three years with the Detroit Pistons.
The $5.85 million he will earn is almost exactly the same amount as he did in the Motor City, so Washington is expecting that same consistency as he moves to the capital.