Tomas Satoransky’s time with the Washington Wizards is over. The 6-foot-7 point guard has agreed to a three-year deal worth $30 million with the Chicago Bulls.
The Wizards won’t go empty handed as they have agree with the Bulls in principle on a sign-and-trade deal. While details of the trade have yet to be disclosed.
Still this is yet another huge disappointing reminder that the Wizards have created a serious cluster of a mess with their contracts.
The Wizards had Satoransky second on their list of priorities for this summer after Thomas Bryant. They wasted no time locking up Bryant to a three-year deal worth $25 million. However, they could not do the same for Satoransky.
The Wizards drafted Satoransky in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft. He developed into a serviceable backup point guard to John Wall. And over the course of the last two seasons, when Wall was out for injury he was able to step in, making 84 starts during the time.
Last season, Satoransky averaged 8.9 points and 5.0 assists in 80 games, as Wall missed 53 games with ultimately a torn Achilles. Numbers that can be produced by a backup.
He shot extremely well from three at 39.5 percent, however, he didn’t shoot enough despite the slight increase in three attempts from the prior season. Satoransky often times made the extra pass, avoiding open shots. His production never quite matched the favorable reviews or hype by fans and other Wizards’ media.
Paying him $10 million per season was just too steep for that production given the salary cap restraints the Wizards are facing.
Instead, Washington is settling on journeyman Ish Smith to be Satoransky’s replacement.
Smith has agreed to a two-year deal worth $12 million.
On the surface it appears to be a step back for the Wizards. However, Smith averaged 8.9 points per game (exactly the same as Satoransky) while coming off the bench exclusively in 56 games last season with the Detroit Pistons. He also played roughly five minutes fewer per game than Satoransky.
Smith added 3.6 assists. While Smith shot 32.6 percent from three, he took 0.4 more threes than Satoransky did in fewer minutes. That’s important giving the amount of kick-out passes the Wizards’ offense produces with Beal and Wall handling the basketball.
Despite bouncing around the NBA, Smith has shown flashes of being able to be more aggressive at scoring and moving the ball compared to Satoransky when given bulk minutes. Something Smith is expected to get in 2019-20 as Wall is expected to miss most, if not all, of the upcoming season.
Smith’s career-high of 14.7 points per game occurred in 2015-16 while with the Philadelphia 76ers in 50 starts. He also added 7.0 assists per game during that season. Keep in mind, Satoransky started 54 games last season and only averaged 8.9 points and 5.0 assists.
Just glance at the both players’ PER36 numbers. Last season, Satoransky averaged 11.8 points and 6.6 assists per 36 minutes. Smith averaged 14.4 points and 5.8 assists coming off the bench.
Smith posted a plus-2.7 net rating last season with the Pistons in comparison to Satoransky’s minus-0.4.
Smith also had a better defensive rating of 108.1 compared to Satoransky’s 110.5.
Sure, there are reasons Smith has been on 10 different teams since 2010. And yes, Satoransky was a home-grown development that the Wizards couldn’t retain. But, when digging past the name recognition, Smith could give more production for $4 million less per year and a shorter commitment than Satoransky.
As Tommy Sheppard operates in the interim GM role, he is tasked with rebuilding a Wizards’ roster with their long-term salary cap flexibility in mind.
Essentially swapping Satoransky for Smith may improve production at the point guard position in absence of Wall next season while cutting money to avoid the luxury tax threshold.
This move may be the best evidence of Sheppard deserving to be named the permanent replacement for Ernie Grunfeld than drafting Rui Hachimura ninth overall or re-signing Bryant.
