The Phoenix Suns surprised a lot of people when they selected Maryland big man Jalen Smith with the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. Smith was projected to go later in the first round, possibly into the early 20s, but Phoenix liked the projections for him.
Smith was a five-star recruit coming out of high school that had the makings of a two-way difference-maker. His bouncy athleticism led to excellent rim protection and rebounding and he showed potential as a 3-point shooter on offense.
This wasn’t the first time that the Suns surprised people in the lottery, as the year before they selected Cam Johnson out of North Carolina.
Johnson was projected by many to be a late first-round prospect, possibly even falling into the second round. Phoenix believed he was worthy of a lottery pick and thus far they have been proven correct.
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Smith, unfortunately, has not yet had that kind of impact. He was a raw prospect coming out, so it was always going to take time for him to adjust to the NBA. However, the Suns’ timeline adjusted as well, as they are now in a win-now mode with Chris Paul at the helm.
After advancing to the NBA Finals this season, Phoenix may be better off acquiring a more established player. Smith has tantalizing skills and potential, but it is unlikely they can trust him with rotation minutes this season. He still has some work to do, as he has struggled with efficiency in the NBA, whether it is preseason, G League, or Summer League games.
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The Suns opted not to exercise Smith’s team option — a rare outcome for a lottery pick. He is now set to become a free agent in 2022 as a result. Phoenix needs to maximize salary cap space with the need to make room for extensions for other players. Could they move him soon to gain an asset?
Phoenix has reportedly begun gauging interest in Smith as they could be looking to add another veteran to the mix. These three teams should look into making a buy-low trade for Smith.
