Wake Forest Demon Deacons: Ish Smith to Pistons
Former Wake Forest Demon Deacons guard Ish Smith is getting a pay increase among the crazy spending going on in free agency.
The Wake Forest Demon Deacons have one of their own making money on the first day of NBA free agency. That would be former point guard Ish Smith, known for his wheels back in his college days. Smith has signed a three deal with the Detroit Pistons according to reports from Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Smith’s deal is reported worth three years and eighteen million dollars. That would make his base contract level $6 million dollars a year. This gives you an idea of the salary inflation that is going on around the NBA right now. Last year the Hornets only gave Jeremy Lin $2.2 million per year with a similar role in mind.
What it means for Smith is that his time in Philadelphia was well spent. Smith had been the definition of a journeyman throughout his career. That would be nine NBA franchises in five years. The 76ers were a gift because they were a roster looking for people to take up minutes and Smith got some real time on the court.
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The result was a season where Smith averaged 14.5 points per game and seven assists per game. He also improved his shooting numbers and got his three point shooting up to 33% last year. That is pretty good for a player once written off as all legs and no shot. It is still not a good percentage from the three, but it is right at the point where you don’t cringe if he shoots it.
In Detroit, Smith will be asked to be the backup point guard behind performer Reggie Jackson. His minutes will decrease, but the quality of talent around him should be an instant bonus. Detroit made the players last year while Philadelphia was gambling on the first pick in the draft.
Smith’s contract should also be a warning to teams looking for backup point guards that those guys may not come as cheap as they did in the past.