The Los Angeles Lakers have developed a reputation for rehabbing players’ values and their latest reclamation project appears to be Nick Smith Jr.
The Lakers signed Smith to a two-way deal in free agency after he was waived by the Charlotte Hornets, a surprising move considering he was a first-round pick just two years ago. Smith never found his footing during his tenure with a struggling Charlotte team, so latching on with Los Angeles represented a second shot of proving he belongs in the NBA.
The Lakers have been snakebitten by injuries to start the 2025-26 season, especially their guard rotation as Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Gabe Vincent and Marcus Smart have all missed time. Against the Portland Trail Blazers, Los Angeles was without Doncic and Reaves so this created an opening for Smith.
Smith responded with a 25-point outburst in the win against the Blazers, though he revealed after the game that he was feeling ill, via Spectrum SportsNet:
“Yeah, there was no way I was missing this one. Just to get a chance to play with the guys and get a chance to compete and i mean, I guess I need [to throw up]. I don’t know. It just happened.
Despite being sick, Smith said he wanted to compete and prove to the coaching staff that their faith in him would pay off:
“I just wanted to come out here with energy. Coach JJ and the coaching staff believe in me and believe in this group no matter who we got. Our best players are out, just come out here and compete and win and I feel like we did that today and we gotta keep it going.”
Smith certainly did his part in the victory as he took advantage of Portland’s aggressive defense and got to his spots on the floor. Smith was asked to handle the basketball due to the pressure, and he responded with a flurry of jumpers including a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth.
It was a fun and exciting game from Smith who likely won’t see many opportunities once the rotation is fully healthy. While he might end up spending more time with the South Bay Lakers, he’s a player worth keeping an eye on.
Nick Smith Jr. didn’t take long to notice difference between Lakers and Hornets
Nick Smith Jr. joined the Lakers just before training camp but quickly realized how different the organization is compared to the Hornets.
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