Announcement of Smith's Absence Not One That Will Affect the Team On the Floor

Fans will freak out, but Hogs can't miss what they essentially never had on the floor

Author:
Kent Smith
Updated:
Jan 7, 2023 5:26 PM EST
Original:
Jan 5, 2023

In this story:

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – It looks like Arkansas fans will see more footage of Nick Smith playing basketball in fraternity driveways than they will on a Razorback basketball court.

Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said during his press conference Thursday afternoon that Smith is in California right now and won't be joining the Razorbacks again any earlier than February.

While this isn't what Arkansas fans wanted to hear, it's equivalent would be Sam Pittman announcing prior to the Alabama game that Jalen Catalon wouldn't be playing that day.

Smith has been out nearly the entire season, so there's nothing being disrupted. With the exception of 118 minutes, the Razorbacks have been without the freshman guard.

To put that in perspective, Anthony Black has 80 minutes in the past two games. The only announcement regarding Smith that could affect the team would be if he were to actually play.

That would mean an extra guy who has built four months of on-court chemistry with the team would have to sit out while Smith tries to get his basketball legs back.

However, incorporating Smith back into the line-up might not be something Musselman will have to worry about.

CBSSports.com reported yesterday that the impression among NBA executives is that Smith most likely won't be back.

At the NBA level, however, speculation is increasing over whether Smith actually intends on playing again for Arkansas. A lot of that speculation is tied to Smith's representation, Klutch Sports Group. Rich Paul is running Smith's NIL deals; he figures to be his agent when Smith inevitably gets drafted top-10. Some believe Smith is the best NBA prospect in college basketball, even if he's not playing college basketball at the moment. And given Klutch Sports' history of handling prospects, there's waffling confidence that Smith plays competitive basketball again until Summer League

Again, if that happens, it's not going to have much, if any, impact.

Forward Trevon Brazile going down a month ago, that was an impactful announcement. He was a highly integrated and enormously effective player.

Smith is not highly integrated. He only played starter minutes once, coincidentally in the game against UNC-Greensboro where Arkansas lost Brazile.

Smith is good from what we've been able to see, but there are ways to make up for what's missing from his absence with the players on the roster.

However, the energy, length, defensive impact around the rim, and the ability to take advantage of mismatches whether down low or on the perimeter that Brazile brought has been sorely missed as Arkansas tries to find its way to a new normal without him.

No one on this team is bringing NBA forward skills in a 6-10 body.

Saying it's easier to make up for what Smith brought than Brazile isn't a slight on Smith. He's a great player.

However, it's hard to miss what you never really had and there are a ton of highly talented players who have similar skills. That's just not the case for Brazile.

If Smith decides to play before the end of the season, then that's a nice late season boost if he can work his way in without disrupting the team's chemistry and flow.

However, if he tries to jump in during the NCAA Tournament, that might not be the best idea. That's just not the place to work in a new guy.

At that point, it will be best for Smith to continue protecting his knee and working on preparation for the NBA draft as his best contribution to the program at that point will be if he can convince teams to take him as a lottery pick.