Welcome Zhaire Smith

[Kobblehead]

The way we see things is way different that how real GMs see things. Thats how i look at it. And drafting Exum was the strong rumor at draft night back then.

If you can remember Exum was like the Porzingis of that draft. The mystery guy. And the hype was very high

You mean like Giannis?

Porzingis was a pretty safe bet because he was dominant in the Spanish League.

Giannis and Dante were both unknowns because they didn't play professional ball overseas.

[Sixerscan]

17 and 19 the last few games since being up with the Sixers for a game. Hopefully a light is turning on.

[Chris76]

17 and 19 the last few games since being up with the Sixers for a game. Hopefully a light is turning on.

I was hoping Zhaire could be a defensive specialist to defend Kemba and other quick guards.

Trey Burke has been doing very well at the backup PG. Not sure, if Zhaire could be a PG, but with his athleticism maybe a Beverley type of player.

Does Zhaire play PG in the g-league?

[Sixerscan]

17 and 19 the last few games since being up with the Sixers for a game. Hopefully a light is turning on.

I was hoping Zhaire could be a defensive specialist to defend Kemba and other quick guards.

Trey Burke has been doing very well at the backup PG. Not sure, if Zhaire could be a PG, but with his athleticism maybe a Beverley type of player.

Does Zhaire play PG in the g-league?

Nah, he can do like a basic two or three dribble move and has a decent passing eye sometimes, but he's a wing on offense.

At this point my hope is he continues to progress and can slot into the Ennis role next year.

[76ciology]

Read on Twitter

Say he turns it around, i see him being something like Josh Richardson, at his peak

[Arsenal]

We should be force feeding him into the PG role in the G League. Trial by fire is the best way to develop his ballhandling and PG skills.

[kuclas]

Basically his red shirt sophomore year in college. Last year was redshirt year. Unlike korkmaz who’s 3rd year wasn’t guarantee.

He’s just still so raw. But even if he doesn’t pan out. It’s ok. Many draft picks won’t pan out.

[Lou_23]

Porzingis was a pretty safe bet because he was dominant in the Spanish League.

.

Not true

[Kobblehead]

Porzingis was a pretty safe bet because he was dominant in the Spanish League.

.

Not true

Maybe using dominant as an umbrella term to describe his play was poor, but he was certainly defensively elite and averaging 18+ ppg per-36 as a teenager. He wasn't an unknown.

Giannis and Exum weren't even playing professional ball. That's the overarching point I was making.

[Sixerscan]

Exum was basically a high school prospect. He had a couple high profile good performances at that level but it was still just a junior level. Giannis was a complete black box which is part of why he went so much later (he did play professionally btw it was just sub-euroleague).

Porzingis was more accomplished than both of them but also a clear level behind someone like Luka or Dario (obviously he was a better prospect than Dario for other reasons)

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I think him getting to play every day is way more important than him just sitting on our bench. He's going to get there eventually and he's going to be a good player for us. It's just not happening as quickly as I thought it would. Still, he was a project when we drafted him and we all knew that. Unfortunately projects don't always work out, and the other thing is you usually have to wait a while for them if they do.

[Roy The Natural]

I think him getting to play every day is way more important than him just sitting on our bench. He's going to get there eventually and he's going to be a good player for us. It's just not happening as quickly as I thought it would. Still, he was a project when we drafted him and we all knew that. Unfortunately projects don't always work out, and the other thing is you usually have to wait a while for them if they do.

Which is exactly why project players normally have elite physical profiles. The hope is that by around year 3 at the latest you can at least put them on the floor as a defensive specialist who has worked on their shot enough to be respectable as a spot-up shooter from 3.

If you get lucky they've shown more at that point.

If you get unlucky the only show one of defense or decent shooting.

If you get a disaster you get neither.

[PLO]

I would be surprised if he's still a 76er this time next season.

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

I think him getting to play every day is way more important than him just sitting on our bench. He's going to get there eventually and he's going to be a good player for us. It's just not happening as quickly as I thought it would. Still, he was a project when we drafted him and we all knew that. Unfortunately projects don't always work out, and the other thing is you usually have to wait a while for them if they do.

Which is exactly why project players normally have elite physical profiles. The hope is that by around year 3 at the latest you can at least put them on the floor as a defensive specialist who has worked on their shot enough to be respectable as a spot-up shooter from 3.

If you get lucky they've shown more at that point.

If you get unlucky the only show one of defense or decent shooting.

If you get a disaster you get neither.

Well I don't think he's a disaster and I think his shot can definitely improve. His handles need work as well (we all know that). I'll be very surprised if we missed on this pick. It's more about patience with the guy and Philly fans do not have much of that.

[rzzzzz]

Zhaire didn't outright embarrass himself those 6 games he played at the end of last season, and he's on a roll right now. normally, when a team's bench is struggling, this would be a good time to put the kid in to at least get some experience, and maybe he shows you something. but this is not a normal developmental process.

[Kobblehead]

That's what I don't understand about writing him off as a project that is currently unplayable. He looked more than comfortable and effective in the small sample size last year. Looked way better than Thybulle currently does this year yet everyone including the coaches somehow think Matisse is plug and play and Zhaire is unplayable.

[TheBallsDeeper]

That's what I don't understand about writing him off as a project that is currently unplayable. He looked more than comfortable and effective in the small sample size last year. Looked way better than Thybulle currently does this year yet everyone including the coaches somehow think Matisse is plug and play and Zhaire is unplayable.

Looked way better than Thybulle???? Do you actually watch Sixers games?

[Kobblehead]

Zhaire is way more talented than Thybulle with way higher upside.

[76ciology]

Zhaire is way more talented than Thybulle with way higher upside.

True.

But thybulle has a skillset that falls in the top of the league (deflections). And that skillset is heavily valued at his position.

While Zhaire maybe talented, but that talent he has is average for that position.

And this is why Thybulle is playable right now over Zhaire.

[Kobblehead]

True.

But thybulle has a skillset that falls in the top of the league (deflections). And that skillset is heavily valued at his position.

While Zhaire maybe talented, but that talent he has is average for that position.

And this is why Thybulle is playable right now over Zhaire.

Thybulle may be somewhat unprecedented when it comes to stocks, but it's not like Zhaire is a slouch in that area. He's just as freaky a positional shotblocker. Just not quite as great defending on the ball (still really really good, though). And again, Zhaire actually might have a degree of talent and ability to produce something offensively (I don't think Matisse has talent or ability to produce points).