2018 NBA Mock Draft: The lottery is done and the order is set
Zhaire Smith. 10. player. 93. . G/F. Texas Tech
One of the most aggressive pushes back I have gotten about how I set the Sixers up in these mock drafts is the idea from fans that the team can’t possibly take another non-shooter with their first-round pick this year, the last really great asset the team has at its disposal. Smith has a high enough ceiling that he’s worth that risk.
The freshman was one of the first players in Chicago this week, putting up shots as he attempts to prove to NBA front offices that he has the requisite offensive upside to be a lottery pick. If Smith were simply six inches taller, his instincts and athleticism would be enough to trust that his defensive impact would give him enough value to pull the trigger in the lottery. Yet it’s tough to trust him as the biggest player on the court, and NBA teams won’t be so experimental until he earns that opportunity. He needs to show he can survive as a playmaker and shooter when the defense breaks down.
In Philadelphia, Smith would scarf Justin Anderson’s role, and we saw how when the Sixers’ core guys couldn’t stop Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier, they inserted Anderson to patch the leak.
Super impressive workout from Zhaire Smith. Shot is much further along than advertised. Made a ton tonight, including quite a few sequences of 4 and 5 threes in a row. Could very well be the best athlete in the draft. pic.twitter.com/bnb1vLdmYk
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 17, 2018
Especially if Smith can translate this tighter, quicker form to the NBA and prove himself as a spot-up shooter, he could be an instant contributor. One could even make the case Smith is the second-best defensive prospect in the draft behind Jaren Jackson Jr. The Sixers are one team that could make this reach and nab Smith.