7. Landry Shamet
In addition to Smith, the Sixers keep their other 2018 first-round pick. Shamet was considered a reach by some, but his fit with the Sixers’ current core and Brett Brown’s system is clear-cut. He’s a high-I.Q. secondary playmaker and one of college basketball’s best shooters.
Learning behind J.J. Redick (and potentially Kyle Korver) will be quite the experience for Shamet. He doesn’t have the off-ball movement down yet, but he’s an absolute marksman from three-point range. He can already hit a variety of shots from deep, shooting 44.2 percent from range at Wichita State.
Athletic limitations hurt Shamet, especially on the defensive end. He will be a smart team defender, but simply doesn’t have the athleticism needed to compete at a high level in isolation. That’s one weakness that earned him second-round grades leading up to the draft in June.
Shamet should still compete for playing time next season, though. His shooting has obvious value next to the Sixers’ core, especially with their current lack of shooting in the second unit. He can also take some pressure off Simmons and Fultz as a playmaker, operating successfully in the pick-and-roll and hitting the occasional pull-up jumper.
If Shamet plays to his full potential, he’s probably a better rotational fit than T.J. McConnell. The latter is obviously a more proven asset, but Shamet was the perfect selection for a competitive team that understands its roster needs.
Entering the first year of his rookie contract, like Smith, keeping Shamet is probably an easy decision for the Sixers.