Nets: 3 replacements for Spencer Dinwiddie after ACL injury
By Mike Luciano
2. Zhaire Smith
It’s not uncommon for a playoff team like the Sixers to ditch rookies if they don’t immediately assimilate into the rotation, but Philadelphia barely gave Smith any chance to crack the starting rotation. Smith, who already wasn’t well-received by fans after Philly traded Villanova star Mikal Bridges to get him, played in just 13 games over two years, averaging a pitiful 4.6 minutes per game in 2019-20.
Smith was picked in the first round out of Texas Tech because he is a premium athlete with solid leaping ability, energy on the defensive end, and an improving jump shot, all three of which are traits that Dinwiddie has in spades. If Marks is in the mood for a bit of a gamble, he could look to bring in Smith.
The Nets really have to be sold on Smith’s potential, as Smith was signed and waived by the Memphis Grizzlies earlier in the season in order to guarantee that Memphis holds his G League rights. However, the Nets should bring him onto the NBA roster, as he is a top-shelf athlete that wasn’t given a chance on a Sixers team that never let him work through the problems NBA rookies are often faced with. If Smith continues to stink, the Nets can cut bait with a minimal financial burden. If he returns to the player we saw in Lubbock who was attacking the rim with ease, Brooklyn might’ve unearthed a potential rotation fixture that could help them in the postseason.