Jalen Smith of the Phoenix Suns is one of the players that they are reportedly going to shop at the NBA Trade Deadline. The 21-year-old University of Maryland product was the 10th pick for the Suns in the 2020 NBA draft.
Although he hasn't done much in his NBA career due to him not playing, he did show in his college career that he could be a successful big man in the NBA. At the University of Maryland, he was able to score 15.5 points per game while adding in 10.5 rebounds in his sophomore season. He shot 53% from the field and 36% from three-point range while shooting almost three a game.
It makes sense that Phoenix is deciding to get rid of him because they do have a young and talented big man in Deandre Ayton. The pick at the time was a bit questionable but there were still some concerns about Ayton because he wasn't necessarily panning out to what Phoenix was hoping for. Ayton wasn't being as dominant as he is now and that was a major concern for Phoenix because they wanted a big man who they could pair next to their star, Devin Booker.
Smith isn't exactly somebody who's going to come in and make a major contribution, but he has does have the potential to be above-average in this league. Whether it be a team that is already at the bottom half of the league and in a rebuild situation or a team who is going to trade away most of their guys and head towards a rebuild, he could make a contributor. Let's take look at three teams who should think about taking a chance on Jalen Smith.
Jalen Smith NBA Trade Deadline
This could be the perfect spot for this young man because he can come in and play 25-plus minutes per night. There is clearly a need for a big man for the Thunder and that's exactly what he can come in and do. He has the potential to stretch the floor and that's what Oklahoma City needs. Pairing him next to guys like Josh Giddey, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Lu Dort could lead to him being successful.
Factor in that Jalen Smith is still only 21 years old, and it's the perfect situation. He could have the potential to be this team's center through the rebuild process and even be a big contribution after that process is over. It's not exactly like Oklahoma City has a lot to lose by taking this risk, so it would make sense if they decide to do so.
Smith to Boston would be an interesting move because they are in a weird position. They don't necessarily have the team at the moment to be NBA championship contenders, but they do have two superstars who could potentially get them to an NBA final. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both good enough to carry the Celtics to an NBA title, but the rest of the team isn't quite there.
If the front office feels like they are not in a position to win an NBA title at the trade deadline and move some pieces, Jalen Smith wouldn't be a bad option for them to bring in. They clearly need big man help and having an older Al Horford play 30-plus minutes a night isn't going to be good in the long run. Factor in that Horford also might not be on the team for much longer due to him getting up there in his career, and he could be the potential center of the future for the Celtics.
Bringing Smith in isn't exactly what the Celtics need, but he could be a decent player for them and it is an interesting spot for him to land due to them needing help at the center position.
The Indiana Pacers are going to be similar to the Oklahoma City Thunder. They might not have as many draft picks and as bright as a future as the Thunder have, but they are reportedly going to head towards a rebuilding process. This could be the perfect opportunity for them to get rid of Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis but bring in another guy who they feel can help their team win in the future. Smith is obviously nowhere near as good as either Sabonis or Turner, but he is still young and he could be the perfect guy to help with the rebuild. They also have some young guys such as Chris Duarte they are going to need to pair next to somebody in the future.
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