Long, versatile defenders are at a premium in today’s NBA, and the Clippers are adding two of them. Smith and Bridges are probably the two best wing defenders in this class, giving L.A. a nice pairing to build around.
Alongside Miles Bridges, Smith is one of, if not the best athlete in the 2018 class. He hangs in the air on dunks and can wreak absolute havoc in transition, something he did often at Texas Tech.
Smith doesn’t handle the ball well and his shooting mechanics are the source of many concerns, but he’s a dangerous slasher who’s capable of making smart passes within the offense. When given time to develop under an NBA coaching staff, Smith could very well outperform his draft slot.