SEPTEMBER 23: The Hornets have officially signed Smith, the team announced today in a press release.
SEPTEMBER 21: The Hornets have agreed to sign Dennis Smith Jr. to a one-year contract, agent Daniel Hazan tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Smith’s deal will be non-guaranteed, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link).
The ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft and a North Carolina native, Smith averaged 15.2 PPG and 5.2 APG in 69 games (29.7 MPG) as a rookie in Dallas, but his shooting percentages (.395/.313/.694) were underwhelming and he was supplanted as the Mavericks’ starting point guard following the arrival of Luka Doncic in 2018.
Smith was subsequently traded to New York in the Kristaps Porzingis blockbuster in 2019, then was flipped to Detroit in the Derrick Rose deal two years later. Following the expiration of his rookie contract in 2021, Smith signed with the Trail Blazers. He averaged 5.6 PPG and 3.6 APG on .418/.222/.656 in 37 appearances (17.2 MPG) for Portland last season before a UCL tear in his right elbow prematurely ended his season.
While Smith’s contract won’t be guaranteed, he has a potential path to a 15-man roster spot in Charlotte if he shows he’s fully healthy and has a strong preseason. LaMelo Ball is the Hornets’ starting point guard and Terry Rozier will take on some ball-handling responsibilities, but the team’s depth chart is otherwise thin at the point.
Currently, the Hornets have 18 players under contract, including 13 players on guaranteed salaries, four on Exhibit 10s, and one on a two-way contract. The team would have room for one more player on its 20-man training camp roster once Smith is officially signed, assuming restricted free agent Miles Bridges remains in limbo due to his legal troubles.
Dag Gum!!!
I wanted the Sixers to sign him for basically the same thing or a G League Contract with lots of incentives, maybe it is completely different the CBA for Baseball and NBA, but still something could have been done
SMH
Well, good luck Charlotte!!!
Lol why? He stinks, has a poor attitude and he can’t shoot
I know, I get grief all the time, but he is a lottery ticket and he can play defense
Buy low, high potential
Love this move and good team for him too
I totally agree with you. He played at NC State so this is a homecoming for him. Very good pickup. I hope he can make the Charlotte Hornets his home.
Still just 24
Lots of upside
DS_. No J
Great forgotten NBA game from 20yrs ago. Winner goes to the East Conf Finals. Bunch of big time players. Ray Allen/Jamal Mashburn/Glenn Robinson/Baron Davis/Sam Cassell all played big roles in this 1 but a guy who also played a huge role was Scott Williams of all people. His layup & overall floor play when the Bucks were down 7 near the end of the 3rd sparked a 19-3 run (not even counting Big Dog’s buzzer beating trey at the end of the qtr) that served to basically end Charlotte’s season.. link to m.youtube.com