Pistons Sign Ish Smith To Three-Year Deal

JULY 8, 1:30pm: The Pistons have officially locked up Smith, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 1, 7:39am: Smith’s pact is for three years and $18MM, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays (via Twitter).

2:44am: The Pistons have reached an agreement on a three-year contract with free agent point guard Ish Smith, reports David Mayo of MLive.com (via Twitter). The financial terms of the deal, which can’t be finalized until next Thursday, aren’t yet known.

Smith, who turns 28 on Tuesday, has led a nomadic existence during his six NBA seasons so far, having played for multiple teams in five of his six seasons. In 2015/16, the Wake Forest alum played in 77 total games, including 50 (all starts) for the Sixers. During his time with Philadelphia last season, Smith averaged 14.7 points and 7.0 assists per contest, easily besting his career averages.

On Thursday, we heard that the 76ers had interest in retaining Smith, but in a backup role. Instead of returning to Philadelphia, however, it appears Smith will be headed to Detroit, where he’ll likely play behind Reggie Jackson at the point.

The Pistons’ backup point guard from this past season, Steve Blake, is eligible for unrestricted free agency, and the team’s agreement with Smith is a strong signal that Blake won’t be back.

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