2026-07-06 19:34:35 Ish Smith returns to Wizards positive they can still turn things around – NEW WTOP Skip to main content

Ish Smith returns to Wizards positive they can still turn things around

By Chase Hughes

Ish Smith returns to Wizards with positive outlook originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

Though the Wizards lost to the Mavericks on Saturday, they got some good news with the return of both Davis Bertans and Ish Smith following long injury absences. Both players should help Washington’s struggling offense as they cling to fading hopes of making the playoffs at season’s end.

For Smith, it was his first game since Feb. 12. He was dealing with a quadriceps issue which forced him to miss 24 games and nearly two months. He was out so long that his last game predated the Wizards’ brief surge before the All-Star break.

Smith has been sidelined for much of this season for the Wizards. He’s played in only 20 of their 48 games.

Having sat out for most of the Wizards’ losing this season, he’s returned to them with a positive outlook despite the fact the team has now lost 11 of their last 14 games.

“As bad as it looks right now, we’ve still got a great, great chance to get in,” Smith said, noting how sub-.500 teams can make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference.

“We’ve just gotta get our confidence back and get our swagger back,” Smith said.

Smith’s best skill is pushing the pace and adding speed to the Wizards’ offense. He’s generally tasked with being the quarterback of the second unit and breaking down defenses off the dribble to create open shots for his teammates.

The Wizards could certainly use some help offensively. They are 23rd in the NBA in offensive rating (108.3) despite being 11th in points per game (113.5).

Their biggest issue is shooting threes, which Smith himself won’t help with. But getting into the paint off the dribble, he can open up the floor for other guys in the second unit.

It will be interesting to see how head coach Scott Brooks uses Smith alongside his other backup point guard, Raul Neto. Due to Smith’s injuries this season and Russell Westbrook sitting out back-to-backs earlier in the year, Brooks hasn’t had to sort out minutes between Smith and Neto yet, but he could have trouble finding them both playing time. On Saturday, he used some three point guard lineups with Smith and Neto on the floor with Westbrook.

Smith is unlikely to move the needle for the Wizards in any major way. But he should help them by adding depth and a potential spark on offense, where they need it most.

“Hopefully I can catch up [soon],” Smith said.

What Wizards’ NBA predraft workouts were like for three likely first round picks

By Chase Hughes
Draft prospects open up about workouts with Wizards originally appeared on NBC Sports WashingtonAs the Wizards continue to evaluate options for their first round draft pick, last week they brought in three guards who most expect to be taken in the first round; Chris Duarte of Oregon, Ayo Dosunmu of Illinois and Josh Christopher of Arizona State. All three are guards currently projected to go in the second half of the first round.Here are notes on how each of their workouts went...CHRIS DUARTEDuarte had a solo workout with the Wizards and after that had workouts scheduled with the Thunder and Pelicans. Due to it being an individual workout, Duarte said he took a lot of shots and did a lot of running for the Wizards. "They want to see how you think," he said.Duarte gave specifics on how he could help the Wizards."I see myself on the Wizards' roster very well beside Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook. I see myself helping the team with my shot, my preparation and off the ball defensively," he said.The most interesting part of Duarte's workout seemed to be when the Wizards asked him to draw up plays, presumably on a white board. "I was out there like a coach drawing plays. They just want to see how I think as a player on and off the court," Duarte said.That's interesting because it's a tactic the Wizards have used in the past and famously for Troy Brown Jr., who like Duarte happened to go to Oregon. The Wizards drafted Brown 15th overall in 2018 and this year they are picking 15th once again.AYO DOSUNMUA 6-foot-5 combo guard, Dosunmu has the highest draft grade of these three players. Like Duarte, he said he would like to play with Beal and Westbrook.Dosunmu said his workout with the Wizards was very unique as far as they go. He said the Wizards did a series of drills to test his basketball IQ, including one where he had to dribble through cones and then make split-second passing decisions based on color codes assigned to coaches. "That was really fun because it challenged your mind and your basketball IQ to make the right pass," Dosunmu said.Dosunmu was asked why he would be able to contribute in the NBA sooner than later. He highlighted his versatility."Being able to guard multiple positions, I think that would be one of the reasons. And then also just being able to take stress off other ball-handlers being able to handle the ball and make reads off pick-and-rolls," he said.JOSH CHRISTOPHERChristopher worked out with Dosunmu and compared the intensity to the NCAA Tournament because Dosunmu played on one of the country's top teams last year. Christopher painted himself as a basketball junkie, having grown up in a family where all four kids went on to play in college."Basketball is pretty much all we know. My dad used to say you can't live in this house unless you know how to dribble a basketball. That's almost I know," Christopher said.Christopher said he used to ballboy at Cal-Berkely when his older brother played there. He also saw LeBron James play in high school. Well, technically."I got to see LeBron play when I was a baby and didn't even know about it," Christopher said.His father apparently took him to UCLA to watch James when he was on St. Vincent-St. Mary's. Christopher said his versatility on both ends of the floor is his biggest selling point. He looks forward to the space of the NBA and believes his midrange game will carry over well.The midrange game is one area where Christopher sees similarities between himself and Beal. There's also another thing."I mean, that man's legs are huge. My legs are huge as well," he said.
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