Nick Smith Jr. on getting standard contract with Lakers

Just prior to the start of this season, it looked like Nick Smith Jr.'s NBA future was in real doubt. The Charlotte Hornets had waived him in late September, and his averages of eight points on 39.1% field-goal shooting and 1.8 assists in 18.9 minutes a game during his first two seasons weren't exactly attractive.

The Lakers signed him to a two-way contract, and while he got mostly only spot duty with them, he did average 19.7 points on 51.1% shooting and 5.6 assists a game during the G League regular season. In the big leagues, he had a couple of semi-impressive games where he showed his peak ability as a ball-handling guard who can also score.

With Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves out due to injury, Los Angeles saw enough in Smith to convert his contract into a standard deal that runs through next season, which means he's eligible to play during the playoffs. After he scored 12 points in Sunday's 131-107 win versus the Jazz, he briefly talked about the opportunity he has been given.

Via Lakers Nation:

“Definitely a good opportunity for me to be a part of the playoffs,” Smith said. “It’s my first time being part of the playoffs. I came to a couple games when I was going through the [NBA Draft] process and stuff like that and it was a great experience so I’m very excited.”

Smith likely won't make an impact in the Lakers' upcoming first-round playoff series versus the Houston Rockets. But he has some bounce and wiggle to his game, and he can get his own shot off the dribble, and he could therefore provide just enough functional depth to prevent L.A.'s main ball-handlers from burning themselves out.

He said that two of his teammates have helped him get to this point this season.

“Stuff hasn’t really hit me yet,” Smith added. “I’m just trying to enjoy the process, trust the process. I feel like all the guys have all the answers. Definitely [Marcus] Smart. Smarty has definitely helped me out a lot this year, especially just being vocal. And Austin has definitely been there for me. It’s a fun time for me. It’s the playoffs, it’s my first time in the playoffs so I’m excited. I’m ready to go.”

In the big leagues, Smith put up 6.2 points in 12.5 minutes a game while making 43.5% of his shot attempts and 39.5% of his 3-point tries this season. He was a first-round pick in 2023 (No. 27 overall), and the Lakers are certainly hoping he taps into that potential over the next couple of weeks or so.

This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Nick Smith Jr. on getting standard contract with Lakers