Wizards Hire Former PG as Scout

The Washington Wizards are adding a former player to their staff, according to The Athletic insider Josh Robbins.

“The Washington Wizards have hired former NBA point guard Ish Smith as a pro scout, team officials said. Smith, who had two stints with the Wizards, played for an NBA-record 13 different teams,” Robbins tweeted.

Smith, 36, played for the Charlotte Hornets last season and was waived in February, subsequently leading to his retirement from the NBA. Smith played for nearly half of the franchises in the NBA, giving him oodles of connections from across the league, making him an ideal scout for the Wizards.

Smith joined the Wizards as a player in 2019 and left in 2021, then returned for 28 games at the end of the 2021-22 campaign after being acquired in a trade for Vernon Carey Jr.

Throughout his career, Smith played for the Houston Rockets, Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, Orlando Magic, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets, where he won his lone NBA championship in 2023.

Throughout his career, Smith averaged 7.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor and 32.5 percent from beyond the 3-point line.

While Smith may not have been able to stay in one NBA home for very long, he was always someone that was desirable by a team. That is what led him to have a long career as a player, and that is what is helping fuel the next stage of his basketball life.

Smith hopes that his efforts as a scout can help the Wizards during their rebuild, breaking away from their 15-win campaign last season.

While Smith begins his scouting journey, the Wizards are getting ready for their preseason opener against the Toronto Raptors.

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