Ish Smith to 76ers: Latest Trade Details, Comments and Reaction

The Philadelphia 76ers have been pining for stability at point guard all season long, and they took a step toward making that dream a reality Thursday by dealing for New Orleans Pelicans floor general Ish Smith, according to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears. 

The Sixers will reportedly send the Nuggets' 2016 second-round pick and their own 2017 second-rounder to the Pelicans, per Philadelphia Magazine's Derek Bodner. 

ESPN.com's Marc Stein first reported Thursday the two sides were in talks to send Smith back to the City of Brotherly Love since the Sixers have plenty of cap space to absorb the 27-year-old's contract in exchange for draft-pick considerations.  

Sixers public relations director Michael Preston confirmed the move Thursday evening:

The Sixers have been operating with a platoon of career journeyman Kendall Marshall, rookie T.J. McConnell and Tony Wroten at point guard, but that trio hasn't been able to get the job done. As a result, Spears reported the Sixers are releasing Wroten to make room for Smith on the roster. 

According to HoopsStats.com, Sixers point guards rank 28th in scoring, 22nd in field-goal percentage and 26th in turnovers. 

As that unit has sputtered, Smith has thrived in the Big Easy—which is why CBS Sports' Matt Moore was caught off guard by New Orleans' decision:  

"

I’m kind of surprised the Pels would do it, honestly. Ish has been helpful.

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) December 24, 2015"

Since he was claimed by the Pelicans on waivers prior to the 2015-16 season, Smith has averaged 8.9 points and 5.7 assists while shooting 43 percent from the field. New Orleans has also been noticeably more efficient on offense with Smith running the point. 

According to NBA.com's stats database, the Pelicans have posted an offensive rating of 105.1 with Smith on the floor, which pales in comparison to their mark of 101.3 with him on the bench. As a point of reference, an offensive rating of 105.1 would rank as the fourth-best overall behind the Golden State Warriors, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs. 

Synergy Sports provided another statistical nugget regarding Smith's solid play: 

As those figures indicate, Smith has the chops necessary to assume starting duties right away if need be—especially after he thrived in a half-season stint with the Sixers last season. 

Claimed off waivers in February, Smith appeared in 25 games and made 14 starts for Philadelphia. During that stretch, he averaged a career-best 12 points and 6.1 assists. He also caught the eye of big man Nerlens Noel, who praised the speedster's passing chops. 

"I love Ish," Noel said in April, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey. "He's honestly, [in] my whole life, the first true point guard I ever played with."

Smith was also quick to praise the chemistry he and Noel created in such a short span: "I never clicked with anybody that quick," the point guard said, per Pompey.    

For the Sixers, bringing Smith back into the fold is a no-brainer. For the price of two future second-round picks, he's a low-cost addition who already has a positive rapport with one of the team's key building blocks. 

And considering he's on an expiring deal valued at just over $1 million, per Spotrac, Smith presents no danger of bogging down the Sixers' books as they try to sort out one of the messiest rebuilds in NBA history.