Craig

Smith

Smith, a 6-foot-7 forward from Boston College, was selected with the 36th overall pick in this summer’s draft. He averaged 17.6 points and 9.4 rebounds last season, earning first team all-conference honors. He finished as the school’s all-time leading rebounder and will play a reserve role off the bench for the Wolves this season.

“Yeah, it’s frustrating. It’s real frustrating just to see it unfold how it did,” Smiths aid. “I don’t think I got a fair shot.” The Rhino has played in the last two games, but he’s played in just four games during April and hasn’t been on the fantasy radar all season.

Hickson is locked into starter’s minutes going forward and Joel Przybilla’s absence is only helping matters. Hasheem Thabeet started and scored four points with two rebounds and two blocks, and is only worth a look as a desperation play for swats. Craig Smith was dusted off and scored six points with two boards, but betting on him for Thursday’s finale doesn’t make sense no matter how beat up the Blazers are.

McMillan said that he “hopes” Aldridge can play on Saturday against the Hawks, and either way owners should actively be looking for other options. His absence will do more to assist Wesley Matthews, Raymond Felton, and Nicolas Batum than it will to bring a new fantasy asset into the fold, but in deep leagues Craig Smith or old man Kurt Thomas could be worth a roll of the dice.

The Rhino is one player that has more value in real life than he does to fantasy owners. He’s averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12 minutes per game in a reserve role.

Smith is questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Bobcats. The Rhino is averaging 4.9 points in 12.2 minutes off the bench this season.

As long as LaMarcus Aldridge is out, Smith is somebody to look at for a spot-start in deeper formats. When given the minutes, he usually sports a good scoring and rebounding combo, but Nate McMillan said he was going to turn to his bench tonight and never followed through. It’s a total crapshoot.

Nate McMillan has alluded to using Smith before each game that LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle) has missed, but he never ends up pulling the trigger. With Aldridge possibly back on Saturday, Smith’s window to hit the fantasy radar is almost shut, not that anybody’s expectations were all that high.

Aldridge looks great since his return (23 points, 11 rebounds late in second quarter) and this is just something to put in his file. This sounds like a pre-existing condition rather than something that just happened tonight, though we’re speculating. And there’s nothing to indicate the injury is serious.

We’re going to kid right now, but how can the most cursed franchise in sports add the most dangerous practice player in the land? Jokes aside, it’s a good signing for them since they lack depth in their frontcourt. ‘The Rhino’ will have no value unless an injury strikes. Knock knock.