Atlantic Notes: Z. Smith, Monroe, Nets, Irving

Sixers rookie guard Zhaire Smith suffered a left foot injury during a development camp in Las Vegas on Monday, the team announced this morning in a press release. According to the club, the 16th overall pick is headed back to Philadelphia for further evaluations on his injured foot.

The Sixers’ announcement doesn’t offer up a preliminary diagnosis and is short on specifics, so the severity of Smith’s foot injury isn’t clear. Training camps will begin in less than two months, but if Smith’s recovery is a short-term one, he could still be ready to go by the time the preseason begins.

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the Atlantic division:

  • The Raptorsdeal with Greg Monroe signals that the team appears to be “punting on the concept of elite room protection,” according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who suggests that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Meanwhile, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star views the decision to sign a veteran like Monroe over an untested developmental player as a reflection of the Raptors’ title aspirations.
  • During their rebuilding process, the Nets have showed a knack for turning marginal players into reliable contributors. Net Income of NetsDaily wonders if Treveon Graham could become Brooklyn’s next project of that sort, following in the footsteps of players like Joe Harris and Spencer Dinwiddie.
  • The 2018/19 season has yet to begin, but oddsmakers are already looking ahead to 2019 player movement. As NBC Sports Boston relays, the Celtics and Knicks have been installed by one bookmaker as the early favorites for Kyrie Irving‘s free agency.
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