Elfrid Payton continues to woo us out of the blue, putting up a random streak of triple-doubles right as people were beginning to lose faith in his future prospects. With that said, though, Smith’s talent could be viewed as too high to pass up here, as his ceiling ranges far beyond that of the ever-unpredictable Elfrid.
Cincy on the Prowl
While Smith enjoyed an off-and-on campaign with a lackluster N.C. State team, his upside as both a scorer and a playmaker is relatively obvious. He’s the most explosive creator in the halfcourt among point guards, as his quick first step and incredible knack for getting elevation around the rim allow him to get into the teeth of the defense and wreak havoc at the basket.
He scores at all three levels, and that’s something that’s not only important in today’s NBA, but can’t be said for one of his most notable counterparts in Lonzo Ball. Smith’s 3-point shooting stabilized as the season progressed, with him overcoming a rough start with a handful of genuinely impressive performances in the midst of ACC play.
Effort and attitude were a handful of Smith’s biggest concerns this season, as he seemed disengaged at times — especially when the Wolfpack got down by larger margins. How he’s able to adjust to an NBA system, especially with a team that likely won’t win much early on in Orlando, would be something worth keeping an eye on.
The Magic have a good bit of promising young talent, though, as the majority of their core pieces — sans Nikola Vucevic — fall under the 25 years mark in terms of age. Rob Hennigan is struggling to rebuild this franchise, and Smith has the second highest upside in this year’s class.