Philadelphia 76ers Process Favorite Enters Wizards’ Front Office

The Washington Wizards are hiring a former Philadelphia 76ers veteran as a scout.

Dec 16, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Ish Smith (14) attempts to pass the ball against Philadelphia 76ers forward Robert Covington (33) during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Back when the Philadelphia 76ers changed players at a rapid pace during their “Process” era, a few players established themselves as fan favorites for short stints.

Former undrafted guard out of Wake Forest, Ish Smith, was one of them.

Despite being an NBA journeyman, Smith brought a lot of veteran value to teams when he made his stops. Smith landed on the Sixers for two stints between 2015 and 2016, right before the organization transitioned from the process to playoff contenders.

At this point, Smith has called it a career from a playing standpoint. After spending time during the 2023-2024 NBA season with the Charlotte Hornets, Smith has moved on from playing.

Moving forward, he’ll fire up a role within the Washington Wizards’ scouting department. According to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, Smith has been hired as a pro scout by the Wizards. Washington just so happens to be one of Smith’s many stops throughout his career.

In 2010, Smith started his career with the Houston Rockets. He joined the organization and played for the G League organization that Nick Nurse oversaw, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers.

After his run in Houston, Smith had stops in Memphis, Golden State, Orlando, Milwaukee, Phoenix, and Oklahoma City. During his fifth NBA season, Smith landed on the 76ers. He was traded in late February to the New Orleans Pelicans and found himself waived. The Sixers picked him up.

Smith ended up getting claimed on waivers by the Pelicans the following offseason, but he was traded back to the Sixers by Christmas Eve 2015. Smith went on to start a career-high 50 games for the Sixers.

Since his second and last stop in Philly, Smith played for the Detroit Pistons, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets, and the Denver Nuggets. Two years ago, Smith was a part of Denver’s NBA Championship run. Last year, he saw the court for 43 games, averaging three points on 41 percent shooting for the Hornets.

The grind doesn’t stop for Smith, who will continue working for the Wizards’ front office. Perhaps sometime in the near future, he’ll have a coaching job or a promotion in the front office space.