[jwplayer HvsGeTYk-z6KDnl0B]
The Philadelphia 76ers entered the 2018 NBA Draft looking to continue to complement the star duo of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid after the stars led the Sixers to their first playoff appearance since 2012.
The vibes around the franchise were good as they had just reached the semifinals as a young group and they had the 10th pick in the draft. They then selected Villanova prospect Mikal Bridges with the pick before trading him to the Phoenix Suns for a bouncy athlete in Zhaire Smith who was selected 16th.
There was hope that Smith would provide some good wing play off the bench, however, he suffered a Jones fracture before the season even began and he then had an allergic reaction in December of his rookie season and it limited him to only six games. It is amazing he even played in his rookie season due to the effect the reaction had on his body.
He averaged 6.7 points in his rookie season and he did show off an ability to defend at an adept level out on the perimeter. He showed off some of the hope that the team had in him when they made the trade to acquire him.
However, the Sixers then selected Matisse Thybulle in the 2019 draft, and his quick rise pushed Smith down to the G League and he spent the majority of his second season with the Delaware Blue Coats. He only played in seven games in the 2019-20 season averaging 1.1 points and he then suffered another injury right before the season restart in Orlando that caused him to miss the time in the bubble.
As for Bridges, he has turned into a legitimate 3-and-D player for the Suns and he shot 36.1% from deep while averaging 9.1 points and playing 82 games as a rookie and 73 as a sophomore. At the time, the trade looked like it could pay dividends for Philadelphia, but hindsight is always 20-20 and the trade continues to look more and more like a mistake. [lawrence-related id=37703,37700,37697]