The Nets have reached an agreement with Dennis Smith Jr., according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who reports that the free-agent guard will sign a one-year contract with Brooklyn.
The ninth overall pick in 2017, Smith struggled during his first few seasons to live up to the expectations that came with his draft slot but have developed into a solid role player in large part due to his strong perimeter defense.
Smith isn’t much of a scorer, averaging 8.8 PPG on an underwhelming .412/.216/.736 shooting line in 54 games (25.7 MPG) for the Hornets this past season. However, he can handle the ball and can set up teammates, having dished 4.8 assists per contest in 2022-23. The 25-year-old will provide some depth in a Brooklyn backcourt that lacks consistent, reliable options behind Spencer Dinwiddie.
The Nets made Smith a priority in free agency, according to Charania, who reports that he was the team’s “first call” among outside targets. Brooklyn has also agreed to re-sign one of its own free agents, reaching a four-year, $108M deal with Cameron Johnson.
The terms of Smith’s deal with the Nets have yet to be reported. Having created some breathing room below the tax apron by agreeing to trade Joe Harris and his $20M salary to Detroit, Brooklyn could offer more than the veteran’s minimum using the mid-level or bi-annual exception.
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