How do the Philadelphia 76ers fill the void left by Zhaire Smith?
The Philadelphia 76ers are looking awfully short on wing depth.
Once again, the Philadelphia 76ers have been hit by the injury bug. Rookie Zhaire Smith suffered a Jones fracture while training in Las Vegas, meaning there’s a chance he misses significant time. If he does miss part of the season, replacing him in the rotation may be difficult.
Most dubbed Smith a project coming into the draft — someone who won’t contribute much right away. That probably isn’t (or wasn’t) the case, though. Smith is arguably the best perimeter defender in the class and was well-positioned to get playing time right away.
The Sixers don’t have much in terms of wing depth. In adding Mike Muscala, the Sixers traded away both Justin Anderson and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. Wilson Chandler will get minutes at the three, but the rest of the perimeter rotation remains unsettled.
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Markelle Fultz, depending on the progression of his shot, might be moved into the starting rotation. That would push either Dario Saric or J.J. Redick to the second unit, which would help ease some concerns.
A healthy Fultz at the helm of the second unit could spend time at either guard spot, to boot.
Fultz and Chandler, however, can’t be the Sixers’ only depth on the perimeter. T.J. McConnell will probably be forced into minutes, which is an awkward fit considering the projected roles of Ben Simmons and Fultz.
Brett Brown will have to lean on his other young talent as well. Landry Shamet was one of the best shooters in college basketball last season. Defensive concerns aside, he’s someone who can provide valuable minutes if given the chance. Even Shake Milton deserves a shot.
Furkan Korkmaz doesn’t feel ready yet, but this might be his chance to crack the rotation. He showed plenty of promise in Summer League, including a 40-point outing against the Celtics. It’s just a matter consistency and defensive improvement.
Here’s where the Sixers’ depth chart stands without Smith:
PG — Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz, T.J. McConnell, Demetrius Jackson
SG — J.J. Redick, Landry Shamet, Shake Milton, Jerryd Bayless
SF — Robert Covington, Furkan Korkmaz
PF — Dario Saric, Wilson Chandler
C — Joel Embiid, Mike Muscala, Amir Johnson, Jonah Bolden
Fultz’s development will play a big role in determining how badly Smith’s loss stings. With that said, the Sixers are short on depth. Muscala and Chandler will play valuable minutes, but finding stable production from the peripheral pieces will be a challenge.
The possibility of the Sixers adding another piece is still there, of course. Bayless feels like a prime buyout or trade candidate. Perhaps targeting another expiring deal from a non-competitive team in exchange for second-round picks is on the table. Or Kyle Korver.
Bayless should be moved to increase depth. dark. Next
We’ll see how the front office approaches the situation in the coming weeks. Bayless doesn’t provide anything of real value at this point, though. It’s past time to move on.