The Sixers, who have arguably the worst guard rotation in the NBA, are closing in on a trade with the Pelicans that will land them journeyman point guard Ish Smith, who will be playing his second stint in Philadelphia. In return they are sending two second-round picks to New Orleans.
Via ESPN.com’s Marc Stein:
ESPN sources say Sixers are closing in on the acquisition of Ish Smith via trade with New Orleans.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 24, 2015
Armed with ample cap space, Sixers naturally have the ability to take in Ish Smith in exchange for draft pick compensation
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 24, 2015
Smith has played for 10 teams in his six-year NBA career. He previously played 25 games with the Sixers last season, averaging 12 points and 6.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per game. He’s having a solid year with the Pelicans. This trade won’t change much for the Sixers, but he’s undeniably an upgrade over T.J. McConnell and Tony Wroten at point guard.
In fact, the Sixers released Wroten to create the roster spot for Smith.