AUGUST 17: Smith’s two-way contract is now official, according to RealGM’s transactions log. Smith and Garza are Detroit’s two-way players.
JULY 30: The Pistons are expected to add UCLA swingman Chris Smith on a two-way contract this season, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
The 6’9″ Chicago native was a four-year player with the Bruins. In January 2021, Smith tore his ACL after just eight games and missed most of his senior season. Over those eight games, all starts, Smith averaged a solid 12.6 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 APG, and 0.9 SPG, while shooting .415/.500/.794.
Even without Smith, the Bruins enjoyed a spirited March Madness run in 2021, reaching the Final Four before they fell to Gonzaga.
Smith’s best college season wound up being his fairly healthy junior year in 2019/20. As a junior, Smith was UCLA’s leading scorer with his 13.1 PPG average. The 21-year-old also pulled down 5.4 RPG, dished out 1.5 APG, and made 1.0 SPG across 31 games. He posted a shooting line of .458/.341/.840. He was named a 2019/20 All-Pac-12 First Teamer and that same season’s Pac-12 Most Improved Player.
The Pistons, led by GM Troy Weaver, have had a busy draft day. They selected Oklahoma State guard Cade Cunningham with the top pick in the 2021 draft. They subsequently picked three players in the second round: Michigan forward Isaiah Livers, Iowa big man Luka Garza and Florida State center Balsa Koprivica.
Nice depth piece for the D league