Some would argue that point guard is the most important position. They’re the ones who run the offense, control the tempo and have the ball in their hands on every possession. During “The Process”, Ish Smith might have been the Sixers’ best point guard.
Joining the Sixers midway through the 2014-15 season à la Isaiah Canaan, Smith averaged 12 points and 6.1 assists while starting 14 of 25 games. He then started the 2015-16 season with the New Orleans Pelicans, playing 27 games with them before being trade to the Sixers.
Smith started all 50 games with the Sixers that season, averaging 14.7 points and 7.0 assists per game. He wasn’t that good, the Sixers just didn’t have a lot on the roster. He was essentially the No. 2 option behind Jahlil Okafor.
Those process years were the peak of Smith’s career. He was the driving force behind a dreadful Sixers offense, using his slashing ability to put pressure on the defense and score at the rim. The Sixers gave him freedom no other team was willing to offer.
While no longer a primary scoring option, Smith has proven himself to be a useful NBA player. He spent last season as the Detroit Pistons’ primary backup, starting 35 games in Reggie Jackson’s absence.
Smith was at the heart of “The Process”, leading the charge for young teams without much to play for. He went at it, embraced Brett Brown’s culture, and Isaiah joined Canaan in a fun, if ineffective, backcourt.