Overview
- The team’s decision, reported Tuesday, makes 22-year-old guard Nick Smith Jr. an unrestricted free agent.
- Smith played 30 regular-season games for Los Angeles this year, averaging 6.2 points in 12.5 minutes while shooting 43.5% from the field and 39.5% from three.
- He spent most of the season on a two-way deal and was converted to a standard contract at the end of the regular season to make him playoff-eligible.
- Smith averaged about 19.7 points and nearly 50% shooting in 18 G League appearances, a performance that underlines his scoring upside despite uneven consistency in the NBA.
- The move frees a 15th roster spot and cap room for the Lakers as they shape their offseason, and it leaves open the possibility Smith signs elsewhere or returns to Los Angeles if needs change.