Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers continue to fine-tune their roster ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, and their latest move involves a once-promising young guard looking for a fresh start.
According to ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel, the Lakers have signed former Charlotte Hornets first-round pick Nick Smith Jr. to a two-way contract, officially filling their final two-way roster slot before training camp begins.
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This brings the Lakers‘ camp roster to 18 players on standard or Exhibit 10 contracts, along with three players on two-way deals.
Smith Jr. joins Christian Koloko and Chris Mañon as the team’s designated two-way players.
Nick Smith Jr. looks to rebuild NBA career after Hornets stint
Selected with the No. 27 overall pick by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2023 NBA Draft, Smith Jr. entered the league with considerable upside, but after two seasons with the Hornets, he was waived earlier this offseason.
Despite a rocky start to his career, he showed flashes of potential last season, appearing in 60 games and starting 27 for the Hornets.
He averaged 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.4 assists over 22 minutes per game. His shooting splits included 39.1% from the field, 34% from beyond the arc, and an impressive 93.5% from the free-throw line.
While Smith Jr. struggled with consistency, his offensive skill set and scoring instincts remain intriguing.
During his time with the Greensboro Swarm, the Hornets‘ G League affiliate, he played 15 games and averaged 20.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per contest.
His G League shooting splits, 42.4% from the field, 38.9% from three, and 81% from the line, highlight his potential as a high-level scorer when given a steady role.
Now with the Lakers, Smith Jr. is expected to spend most of the upcoming season with the South Bay Lakers, the franchise’s G League affiliate, unless injuries create opportunities at the NBA level. Under a two-way contract, he’s limited to 50 NBA appearances and would need to be converted to a standard deal to be eligible for the postseason roster.
The Lakers originally had plans to sign rookie big man Eric Dixon to a two-way deal, but those plans were scrapped after Dixon was unable to participate in Summer League.
That opened the door for Smith Jr., a player with a far higher pedigree and NBA experience.
While the signing might seem minor in terms of immediate regular-season impact, it gives the Lakers another developmental project with upside.
If Smith Jr. can refine his game in the G League and maintain consistent production, he could find himself back in an NBA rotation sooner than expected.
This move aligns with the Lakers‘ broader strategy of balancing veteran depth with young talent, particularly under the league’s new collective bargaining agreement, which places greater emphasis on developing cost-effective contributors.
For Nick Smith Jr., the opportunity represents a second chance to live up to his first-round potential, and the Lakers are giving him the platform to do just that.
This news was originally published on this post .
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