Zhaire Smith’s NBA career is about to take another bad turn. According to Yahoo’s Vince Goodwill, Detroit Pistons plan to waive Smith just days after acquiring him in a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Pistons traded for Smith last week, sending center Tony Bradley to Philly in exchange. However, they obviously didn’t make the move with the intention of actually adding the 21-year-old Texas Tech product to their roster.
Zhaire Smith was Phoenix Suns’ No. 16 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft but ended up being traded to the 76ers on draft night. At the time, it was reported that Philly was high on Smith due to his solid scoring and promising defense.
Unfortunately, Smith didn’t get a chance to show either in 76ers jersey.
While taking part in summer development camp ahead of his rookie season, Smith fractured his foot and required surgery. He later suffered an allergic reaction that further delayed his NBA debut, and he only got to play six games in his first season in the league.
Things didn’t fare better for Smith in 2019/20 either, as he struggled to get his fitness back and be in game shape due to health problems from the previous year. This caused him to find playing time, and he only made seven appearances during the regular season averaging 4.6 minutes on the floor.
It is unclear what the future holds for once-prospective Smith, but there is no doubt that his talent will get him a look from NBA teams at some point. Just not from Pistons.
