Jalen Smith's first 18 games off the bench were defined by wild, unpredictable swings between highly efficient sparkplug and actively detrimental liability. When his jumper falls, he looks like an elite floor-stretching big, perfectly captured on 11/09 vs CLE where he posted a massive +13.9 impact score by hitting all six of his shots for 18 points and grabbing 11 boards. He occasionally found ways to generate value even when his touch abandoned him, like on 11/11 vs SAS. Despite a brutal 5-for-13 shooting night in that game, his relentless work on the glass yielded 12 rebounds and drove a stellar +8.6 impact score. The problem is that Smith's scoring often masks severe defensive bleeding or a total lack of ball movement. Look at his performance on 11/05 vs PHI, where he dropped 14 points and hit three triples, but still managed a dismal -6.6 impact score because his empty-calorie perimeter hunting and zero assists stalled the second unit's offense. If he wants to be trusted with more than 17 minutes a night, he has to flatten out these extreme fluctuations. Right now, putting him on the floor is simply a gamble.

Jalen Smith’s midseason stretch was defined by a chaotic transition from a slumping bench liability to a volatile, rebounding-obsessed spot starter. Early on, he found ways to salvage terrible shooting nights through pure hustle. During the 12/13 vs CHA matchup, Smith scored a measly 5 points on 2-for-9 from the floor, yet still posted a +3.8 impact by ripping down 10 rebounds in just 17 minutes to manufacture crucial extra possessions. As the season progressed, his relentless glass-cleaning earned him heavier minutes, but that longer leash occasionally exposed his destructive shot selection. Look no further than 01/14 vs HOU, where he tallied a respectable 14 points and 9 boards in a starting role but dragged the team down to a -2.4 impact by forcing the issue and bricking all five of his three-point attempts. Smith is simply at his best when he embraces the dirty work inside rather than drifting to the perimeter. This reality was perfectly highlighted on 01/17 vs BKN, when he came off the bench to bully his way to 14 points, 13 rebounds, and a massive +14.0 impact.