Three free agent signings who could help the Wizards this season

Starting on Thursday, NBA teams can begin signing players to 10-day deals to add depth and address needs that have come up during the start of the season. Obviously, the Wizards need plenty of help as they try to fix some glaring holes on their bench. With that in mind, here are a few players who might be able to bring something to the table:

Hollis Thompson

On Wednesday, the Philidelphia 76ers released 25-year-old after four seasons with the team. Thompson never really had a breakthrough with the 76ers after a solid start to his NBA career. He started 41 games his rookie season, but only started 41 more over the last two plus seasons, including only one start this season.

Thompson, who played with Otto Porter at Georgetown, would bring some interesting tools to the Wizards’ bench. He has never really dealt with a major injury, he’s shot over 40 percent from deep twice in his career, and he’s never shot worse than 36 percent from outside. Plus, he’s still just 25 years old, which means so Scott Brooks might still be able to get something out of Thompson’s potential that the 76ers did not.

However, it’s worth noting Thompson has to clear waivers before he can hit the free agent market. Every team with cap space or a cap exception can place a waiver bid if they’re willing to take on what’s left of Thompson’s salary with the 76ers. If multiple teams make a claim, the team with the worst record gets him. If no one makes a claim, Thompson is free to sign a new deal with any team he chooses.

Mario Chalmers

Mario Chalmers, a two-time NBA champion with the Heat, had his career put on pause after he injured his Achilles tear in March while playing with the Grizzlies. Because the injury happened so late in the season, it ruined any chance he had of getting a deal over the summer while he rehabbed.

Marc Stein of ESPN is reporting Chalmers should be ready to return to the court “in the near future” and will likely draw interest from several teams once he’s ready to go. The Wizards could use a veteran guard like Chalmers off the bench. The closest thing they have to a vet behind Wall is Trey Burke who hasn’t been consistent for the Wizards this season and doesn’t bring any of the defensive pedigree Chalmers has shown through the years.

Jarrett Jack

Like Chalmers, Jarrett Jack suffered an injury last season that hurt his chance to find a good place to play over the summer. He signed a one-year deal with the Hawks for the minimum, but was waived before the end of training camp because he was still recovering from injury he suffered with the Nets.

Now that he’s closed to being fully healthy, he could be an interesting option for the Wizards. His shooting percentages were not good last season (39.1 percent from the field, 30.1 percent from deep) but that’s not much different from what Marcus Thornton is shooting this season, and Jack brings more playmaking and playoff experience to the table.