Welcome To Charlotte: Ish Smith (FA Signing)

[luciano-davidwesley]

Look for us to trade for salary from other teams at some point before the trade deadline in exchange for draft assets. Obviously that changes if we sign someone else to decent money but I think now Riller and possibly one of Whiteside/Drummond for low/minimum one year salaries is a decent offseason with a lot of future flexibility.

[Liver_Pooty]

Charlotte native, so that's cool. Saved money while downgrading, at least. And I predicted the signing?

Lol. I'll give you credit you did predict it.

[Robot Rock]

Hopefully he's a good veteran presence. I'd rather have had DSJ to be honest, but the pickings weren't quite good enough to describe them as "slim" at this point. Bet he'll be glad to be playing in front of his family.

[Robot Rock]

Charlotte native, so that's cool. Saved money while downgrading, at least. And I predicted the signing?

Lol. I'll give you credit you did predict it.

Had a good laugh about it too.

[BigSlam]

Just looking over some of Ish's splits from last season.

Over the final 2 months of the season (April and May) which accounted for 25 games Ish averaged:

8 points (on 47/43/73 shooting)
4 rebounds
4 assists
1 steal
1 turn over

That's more impactful than I would have thought.

[JDR720]

He isn't going to win us any games, but he won't lose any either.

Graham is a boom or bust type backup. Ish is more consistent, although his best games won't be as good as Graham's are.

[Bassman]

Solid signing, happy we got a good vet at a good value.

[JMAC3]

Realistically he isn't going to be expected to play many minutes behind LaMelo. He has averaged nearly 24 mpg a game the last 6 seasons or so and has even started 130+ games over that stretch.

Things he does well pushes the pace, not turn the ball over and he is decent against bigs in switches.

His shot profile is pretty yucky here of late tho...
Percentage of total shots within 0- 3 feet= 19%
Percentage of total shots within 3 -10 feet= 20%
Percentage of total shots within 10-16 feet= 21.5%
Percentage of total shots withing 16-3p= 23%
Percentage of total shots behind 3p= 16.5%

Relies way too much on the midrange with 65% of shots NOT being layups or threes. Also, does not get to the free throw line. His net rating has been pretty horrible, but he has also played for awful teams the last 5 years.

Don't love it, we better snag a difference maker with the remaining cap space.

[luciano-davidwesley]

He isn't going to win us any games, but he won't lose any either.

Graham is a boom or bust type backup. Ish is more consistent, although his best games won't be as good as Graham's are.

BUT we save $5-6 million or more per year, are only committed to one year with a team option for the second instead of four years guaranteed AND pick up a lottery protected first. That's a win for us.

I was also over Devonte going 4-18 from the field 75% of the time and getting the ball for some reason in end of quarter isolations.

[Rays Pompadour]

Devonte was not a threat to drive. Man, I miss Kemba. Smith isn't the floor stretcher the Hornets still need, but he isn't afraid to mix it up in the paint. I don't think Hornets fans will be embarrassed.

I also think he's the real third point guard behind Ball and Rozier. Hayward will handle the rock quite a bit, too. I see Bouknight getting more burn at the 2 as Rozier slides to the point. 12 minutes per game sounds about right for Smith.

[Liver_Pooty]

Ish Smith 1 year 4.5 million and a first >> Graham 4 years 47 million. Mitch is the man.

[Trey24]

Realistically he isn't going to be expected to play many minutes behind LaMelo. He has averaged nearly 24 mpg a game the last 6 seasons or so and has even started 130+ games over that stretch.

Things he does well pushes the pace, not turn the ball over and he is decent against bigs in switches.

His shot profile is pretty yucky here of late tho...
Percentage of total shots within 0- 3 feet= 19%
Percentage of total shots within 3 -10 feet= 20%
Percentage of total shots within 10-16 feet= 21.5%
Percentage of total shots withing 16-3p= 23%
Percentage of total shots behind 3p= 16.5%

Relies way too much on the midrange with 65% of shots NOT being layups or threes. Also, does not get to the free throw line. His net rating has been pretty horrible, but he has also played for awful teams the last 5 years.

Don't love it, we better snag a difference maker with the remaining cap space.

A lot of those midrange are floater type push shots, not necessarily pulling a Devin Booker down there haha

[Snidely FC]

Fun With Names:

Smith is the eponymous generic surname, as in, "You know, Smith, the basketball player..."

Ish is a suffix that means approximately or sort of
As in...
"6-ish feet tall"
"33-ish years old"
"5-ish Million dollars per year"
"professional-ish basketball player"
ISH

Ish is also short for Ishmael, which in the Hebrew means, "answer my prayer" (recall Abraham asking God to deliver a son)...as in, "Please, God, deliver us a PG, any point guard will do."

Because of the Biblical Ishmael, the name connotes a wanderer, as in, "he played for 12 different teams"

all of which underpins the famous opening line of Moby Dick, "Call me Ishmael - the Ish Smith Thread."

Welcome to Charlotte Ish Smith, I'm really very happy-ish to have you

[Benjamin Linus]

Watching some highlights, Ish still has some impressive burners on him for someone his age. Always down with adding a speedy PG to the roster. Definitely view him as a big upgrade over Wannamaker. Our drive-and-kick heavy offense can't afford to have a non-center out there that can't shoot and Brad shot 12.5% from three for us last season lol (22.4% on catch-and-shoot threes). Ish shot 36.7% from three (41.5% on catch-and-shoot threes). Still a downgrade from Graham so hopefully we make good use with the rest of that capspace

[BigSlam]

Watch on YouTube

[Walt Cronkite]

Seems like a steady hand. Nothing too exciting in the highlight reel. Was his statistical output down last season because of the Westbrook's addition?

[BlackOutBuzz]

So after all the trades, signings, and the Caleb waiver; the roster sits at 13 guaranteed salaries plus two non-guaranteed (Cody, McDaniels), but we still haven't signed Ish Smith!

Could be as simple as waiving another player, but I also think they'd like the added flexibility to potentially promote two-way players and one of their nine Exhibit 10 players, and right now there's just no room for upward mobility.

So, just a hunch, but I do think there's likely a consolidation trade coming.

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[Bassman]

Watch on YouTube

Thanks Slam. That’s some sweet production from Concord’s own Ish Smith! I think he will do incredibly well as a veteran back up PG.

[BlackOutBuzz]

Read on Twitter

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[luciano-davidwesley]

So a team option in effect? Great work Mitch