Update: Detroit Pistons traded in favor of Zayer Smith with the intent to waive and extend the contract, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.
It’s unclear why the Pistons extended Smith’s deal rather than simply releasing him.
The Pistons are expected to waive and extend the recent acquisition of Zair Smith after Tony Bradley’s deal, sources say.
Vincent Goodwill (@VinceGoodwill) November 23, 2020
The original story follows below.
The Detroit Pistons are traded from their massive inventory of centers to take a pilot on a Zaire Smith of the 76ers. The trade was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The Pistons send Tony Bradley, who was received by the team in a previous deal with Utah Jazz.
The addition means another development potential from a rival team having been disappointed during their first few seasons in the league. GM Troy Weaver has already added Dznan Moussa (29th in 2018), Jalil Okafor (3rd place in 2015) and Josh Jackson (4th place in 2017).
Smith has long been a target of Pistons fanatic intrigue, and he seems to fit the Troy Weaver template perfectly. Smith is a tough sports keeper with a lot of blasts but also has questions about whether he can pull it all together to become a legitimate NBA player.
Smith suffered a serious injury to his foot and then developed an allergic reaction to food. This caused him to lose most of the season and greatly affected his conditioning. Reports indicated that his weight dropped to the 160s instead of his usual 200 pounds.
The move gives Detroit an extra young Ranger that can be developed during the rebuilding process. The 21-year-old was placed 16th overall in 2018. The shooting is a major question mark for Smith, and due to his age and injury problems, he has been unable to prove himself as the perimeter defender many would expect outside of college.
Weaver has shown that he is not afraid to add defensive-minded players with questionable offensive potential, however, he loves long-winged athletes (Smith is 6 feet tall, 3 feet tall and 10 is wide).
Smith is making a little less money than Bradley, so it shouldn’t affect his Detroit roofing. Previous reports indicated that the Pistons had fallen under cover enough that they were no longer expected to supply veteran goalkeeper Rodney McGruder.
It’s unclear if Smith’s addition motivates them to simply release McGruder to open up an extra spot on the roster or if plans are still in the squad.
Tv fanatic. Freelance thinker. Social media enthusiast. Total bacon lover. Communicator.