NBA Draft rumors: Mavs don’t want Dick, Heat working out sleeper, Cason Wallace lottery promise?
NBA Draft rumors: Heat working out sleeper Nick Smith Jr.
Nick Smith Jr. entered his freshman season at Arkansas as a projected top-5 pick. In the months since, his stock has fluctuated significantly after a rocky, largely ineffective stint with the Razorbacks. Now Smith could come off the board anywhere from the mid-lottery to the late-teens, as reflected by his workout schedule.
Arkansas guard Nick Smith Jr. just completed a a Wizards group pre-draft workout. Smith said he has an upcoming workout scheduled with the Heat. Wallace said he's already worked out for the Raptors.
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) June 5, 2023
The Wizards own the No. 8 pick and are widely expected to consider guard options to pair with Bradley Beal in the backcourt. Meanwhile, the Heat don’t pick until No. 18 — giving Smith quite the range of potential outcomes.
Smith is currently the No. 8 prospect on the FanSided big board. While his inconsistency at Arkansas was not ideal, Smith missed significant time to injuries and was clearly not operating at maximum levels of strength and comfort. More off-guard than point guard, the 6-foot-5 Smith’s baseline appeal lies in his feather-soft touch and evasive handles.
There aren’t many guards better equipped to complement an elite playmaking engine than Smith. Be it Beal in Washington, Jimmy Butler in Miami, or someone and somewhere in between, Smith’s feel for cutting and relocation is advanced for a 19-year-old. He’s very difficult to stay in front of moving downhill, deploying hesitation moves and ever-shifting momentum to keep his defender off balance. Once he gets to his spot, Smith has a deep bag of mid-range pull-ups, floaters, and touch shots he can lean on. If he can get more consistent from 3-point range and create more for teammates, Smith will be one of the best scorers from the class of 2023.