On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia 76ers were awarded the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. With the Sixers having the third pick, they could go in many directions. They could either take a small forward, shooting guard or point guard.
Despite drafting a facilitator in Ben Simmons with the first overall pick last year, they could still use an offensively skilled point guard.
According to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog, the Sixers are one of many teams who’ve reached out to the camp of North Carolina State point guard Dennis Smith Jr. to set up a workout.
Zagoria also mentioned that the New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Sacramento Kings were the other teams to reach out to Smith Jr.’s camp.
While it is highly unlikely that the Sixers would take Smith at number three, the Sixers are doing their due diligence by working him out. Smith had an excellent freshman year, despite NC State not qualifying for either the NCAA Tournament or NIT.
This past season, Smith averaged 18.1 points, 6.2 assists, and 4.6 rebounds in 34.8 minutes per game. He also shot 45.5 percent from the field and 35.9 percent from three-point range.
The 6-foot-3, 195 lb. Smith is an athletic point guard that can explode to the basket. His athleticism along with his scoring prowess is what makes Smith such an intriguing prospect.
One of his best games this past season came against Jayson Tatum and Duke. Against the Blue Devils, Smith scored 32 points on 10-of-18 shooting from the field, along with making 4-of-6 from three-point range. He also had six assists and four rebounds, helping NC State upset Duke.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wi5UxRw_64k
Smith proved on a big time stage that he is not only ready for prime time but can get to the basket at will.
As I mentioned earlier, it would be foolish for the Sixers to take Smith at No. 3, especially with guys such as Josh Jackson, Malik Monk, and Tatum potentially still on the board.
However, if the Sixers were to trade down a couple of spots, I could see Smith becoming a viable option for them.
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