Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Zhaire Smith
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Smith was expected to return in December of last year after suffering a Jones fracture in his left foot last August. However, just a month later, he had an allergic reaction that forced him to undergo a procedure and ultimately miss the majority of his rookie campaign. All told, Smith made six appearances last season, posting per-game averages of 6.7 points (41.2 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 75.0 FT%), 2.2 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.0 three, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks in 18.5 minutes per game. Furthermore, he wasn't part of the regular playoff rotation, combining to play five minutes across two tilts. Regardless, Smith has fully recovered from his serious health scare and also suited up during the 2019 Las Vegas Summer League. Across five bouts, Smith recorded averages of 12.4 points (48.0 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 60.0 FT%), 3.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.0 three and 0.2 blocks in 26.0 minutes per game. It's unlikely that he'll be effective enough to warrant ownership in all formats, especially given Philadelphia's depth of talent. With that being said, Smith plays bigger than his listed height (6-foot-4) and may earn a consistent reserve role as a sophomore, especially if his perimeter shooting proves reliable. If all goes well, he could be a threat to contribute decent counting stats thanks to his fairly well-rounded skillset and impressive feel for the game. As such, he may be worthy of a late-round flier in some deeper fantasy drafts.
Smith spent just one year playing college ball at Texas Tech, though was able to draw scouts attention with his play and athleticism. He finished the year averaging 11.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks across 28.4 minutes, earning him a selection by the Sixers with the 16th overall pick of the 2018 draft. While he only shot 40 total three-pointers, Smith did knock down 45 percent of them, so he appears to at least have the potential to develop into a better than average deep ball shooter once he ups his attempts. As his aforementioned numbers suggest, Smith also excels on the defensive side of the ball, giving him the potential to become a 3-and-D player for the Sixers down the line. All that said, the 19-year-old suffered a Jones fracture at the start of August and then underwent surgery to repair it. That will sideline for a good chunk of the upcoming season and means Fantasy owners should feel comfortable avoiding him in standard drafts. Keep an eye out for a potential return in the second half of the season, but with the likes of J.J. Redick, T.J. McConnell and Markelle Fultz all seeing time at shooting guard, Smith could still struggle to see significant minutes.