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Zhaire Smith is being assigned to Delaware Blue Coats of the G League, according to Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice:
Other Sixers news — Zhaire Smith is being assigned to the G League on Monday, will participate in Blue Coats camp along with Shayok and Pelle.
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) October 25, 2019
It’s disappointing that Zhaire Smith has been unable to make his way onto the court for significant playing time for the Sixers and that he needs to be assigned to the G League to ensure he’s getting the necessary work in, but it’s not surprising and it’s not condemnation of Smith. Zhaire was a raw prospect when he was drafted and not only that, he played as a big in college and is making the transition to the wing in the NBA. In other words, the Sixers were never banking on Zhaire becoming an impact player in his first season. And in a way, Zhaire is still in his first NBA season after missing the bulk of the 2018-19 NBA season due to a severe allergic reaction that left him out of shape and underweight.
At this point, we don’t know how long Zhaire will be the Blue Coats. Hell, he could be back with the Sixers by next weekend. But for now, at least he’ll be getting run in some sort of competitive environment rather than spending game nights in street clothes. Ultimately, this is probably the right move at this point in time.