Zhaire Smith is back after a broken foot and a life-threatening allergic reaction resulted in almost two months in hospital and major weight loss. Due to these health issues, he was restricted to just eight games and 116 total minutes in 2018-19 (including playoffs) — basically a lost rookie season.
We all know that Summer League needs to be evaluated with caution. The far lower level of competition and the chances for a random hot stretch in a small sample can easily inflate how good a player looks. However, when focusing on the technicalities of a player’s game, not just made shots, it’s still possible to examine areas of their skillset that are present or lacking.