Zhaire Smith, we hardly knew you.
The Texas Tech guard played in 13 games as a Sixer. He paid no dividends for a franchise notoriously clumsy with picking the right prospects. Smith was traded to Detroit on Sunday, taking his place as yet another Sixers first-round selection who never came to be despite lofty expectations.
Who can forget former coach Brett Brown comparing Smith to Kawhi Leonard and affectionately calling him “a pogo stick?” Apropos after how the Sixers bounced him out of town Sunday afternoon.
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According to Yahoo Sports’ Vince Goodwill, Smith is expected to be waived and his salary stretched over multiple seasons by the Pistons. It will be interesting to follow the 21-year-old’s NBA future as he looks for another landing spot. How could anyone lament Smith’s trade to Detroit for essentially depth and an expiring contract in Tony Bradley?
Co-host of the Sixers Talk podcast Kevin Rice has been following Smith since his Texas Tech days. On Monday's podcast, we examined Smith’s situation a little closer, trying to figure out why it never worked here despite the draft-day trade which forever links him to local product Mikal Bridges.
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