The Cleveland Cavaliers release former NBA 1st round selection Zhaire Smith. Zhaire Smith’s most recent NBA appearance was during the 2019-20 season when he played seven games for the Philadelphia 76ers.
This summer, he signed a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers and participated in their preseason games.
However, the Cavaliers have now chosen to waive Smith, as reported on the NBA’s official transactions page.
Cleveland Cavaliers Release Former NBA 1st Round Selection
According to Keith Smith of Spotrac: “The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived Sharife Cooper, Pete Nance, Justin Powell and Zhaire Smith, a league source tells @spotrac.
The Cavaliers have also signed and waived Rob Edwards, Aleem Ford, and Devontae Shuler.”
Smith was originally the 16th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft after a single season of college basketball at Texas Tech.
He has played in the NBA for two seasons, all with the 76ers, with career averages of 3.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game, shooting 37.8% from the field and 31.6% from beyond the arc in 13 regular season games (he also played in two NBA playoff games).
In addition to his NBA experience, Smith has spent time in the G League, where he has averaged 11.7 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 50.3% from the field and 34.8% from three-point range in 39 regular season games.
As for the Cavaliers, they are set to commence their 2023-24 regular season on October 25, visiting the Brooklyn Nets at the Barclays Center in New York.
In the previous season, the Cavaliers secured the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference but were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
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