Jason Smith

Smith at the five spot and Meeks at off-guard represent deep bench depth for the Wizards, yet there is a reason both have been pushed out. In theory, both are shooting options on a team that could use some of those, particularly in the front court, but Smith lost his shot last season, and although he was relatively healthy all year, he barely featured in favour of two power forward line-ups. Meeks meanwhile featured a lot, but scored his fewest points and recorded his worst VORP since his rookie season, eight years ago. Troy Brown and Austin Rivers have been acquired to provide wing options for a reason, and while they are not the decent shooters that Meeks (normally) is, there is not enough in it to grant Meeks an automatic spot alone. With both players on expiring contracts and the Wizards considerably over the luxury tax thresholds, both seem unlikely to finish out these contracts; if they are not salary dumped, they will surely be bought out, and it is very likely they will actually endure both.

Jason Smith
PF/C, 7’0, 240lbs, 31 years old, 9 years of experience

The new stretch biggy-NBA is here, and Smith has adapted by adding three-point range to his career diet of mid-range jump shots, shooting 47.4% from outside on slightly more than one attempt per game. He also rebounded at the best rate of his career, putting forth some effort even though he will never have the physicality to thrive in this area. Unfortunately, the new stretch biggy-NBA also kind of hates Smith, whose defence on perimeter actions was pretty awful, and who doesn’t defend the rim either. Plenty of fouls, plenty of slow rotation, sagging off by about 40 feet, and being attacked on every trip. Smith’s very good shot and sneaky athleticism gives him a role in the league, but it shouldn’t be a big role.

Player Plan: Two years and a combined $10,675,000 remaining, the second year of which is a player option. Likely to exercise it, Smith will therefore provide a decent but limited minutes back-up for up to that long, although the final year might need stretching or salary dumping.

How Philadelphia balance their roster from here is not immediately obvious. Even with this huge infusion of talent, the situation is a mess. Andre Iguodala has been used as their primary halfcourt creator over the last two seasons, but really isn't that good at it; unfortunately, he plays the same position as Turner. So do does Thaddeus Young, a man who would be an ideal backup combo forward in the role that Turk Nowitzki fits for Milwaukee (and that Jeff Green should do for Oklahoma City), but who has to share time there with equally effective backup Marreese Speights and the remains of Elton Brand, with whom the team are stuck. Bad trades have also seen the team stuck with Andres Nocioni and Jason Kapono as unnecessary small forward options; meanwhile, the only average guards are Jrue Holiday and Louis Williams, neither of whom are really point guards, but whom also cannot really play together. It's an unbalanced team further penalised by a bad salary situation, a lack of proper two guards, and a centre rotation of Spencer Hawes and Jason Smith that has all the defensive intensity of a playground punch-up.

They've caught an enormous break here, though.