Good Landing Spot: Portland Trail Blazers
Jabari Smith Jr.’s greatest selling point is his outside shooting ability at his size in a 6’10 frame. At Auburn, he made a habit out of hitting 3-pointers from a variety of different angles, off of different catches, and oftentimes over defenders in a good position. He projects to be an elite off-ball weapon in the NBA and won’t need much space to operate.
If he were to land on the Portland Trail Blazers, Smith Jr. will be afforded a ton of great looks from behind the arc, receiving passes from Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons who should command most of the defensive attention.
Playing next to two elite scoring guards will also speed up his development as a shot creator, as he’ll get plenty of chances to play one-on-one and drive into wide-open lanes. He and the Trail Blazers’ roster should be perfectly complementary of each other’s strengths.
On defense, he’ll step into the role that Robert Covington played before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers. He’ll act as a weakside shot blocker and the primary help defender in driving lanes. Smith Jr. has the length and athleticism to replicate RoCo’s production and even exceed it with his young legs.
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In Jabari Smith Jr., Dame would be getting the high-level, 3-and-D wing he’s always needed next to him. Any development that Smith Jr. has as a shot creator would be gravy for Portland, as they’ll look to be serious contenders even if he doesn’t turn into anything more than an off-ball sniper with size and defensive weapon.
