Feb 24, 2025; Sacramento, California, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) argues a call during the second quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Ex-NBA First-Rounder Officially Becomes a Free Agent

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Sep 29, 2025 10:33 AM ET

The Charlotte Hornets made a shocking move last week by waiving the veteran guard, Nick Smith Jr.

The former first-rounder would have a chance to keep his contract on another team. However, nobody picked him up. As a result, Smith Jr. is officially an NBA free agent.

Nick Smith Jr. cleared waivers yesterday. He's now an unrestricted free agent and able to sign with any team.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) September 28, 2025

The market for the 21-year-old guard is currently unclear. The fact that he struggled to maintain a role on a rebuilding Charlotte Hornets team certainly isn’t a great look.

At Arkansas, the former five-star recruit was a one-and-done prospect. During the 2022-2023 NCAA season, Smith started all but three of the 17 games he played. Although he struggled with his shot, making 38 percent of his field goals, Smith averaged 12.5 points per game.

When it came time to make a decision on the NBA Draft, Smith Jr committed to joining the 2023 class. The Hornets took a chance on him with the 27th overall pick. He signed a standard multi-year deal upon his arrival.

During Smith’s rookie season, he appeared in 51 games. Every outing was an appearance off the bench. As a rookie, he averaged 5.9 points, shooting 39 percent from the field. While he lacked efficiency from the floor, Smith managed to knock down 43 percent of his threes, which left the Hornets intrigued.

Unfortunately, his sophomore campaign wasn’t as strong. The three-point average dipped to 34 percent. While Smith averaged 9.9 points in 60 games, he still shot under 40 percent from the field. Struggling with his efficiency, it was clear that Smith would have a hard time staying on the floor for the Hornets.

They weren’t willing to make it work. Now, Smith hits the open market with an opportunity to consider other paths. The 21-year-old still has promise, but he might have to pick up a playing stint in the NBA G League in order to get back onto other teams’ radars.

As for the Hornets, they still have a lot of questions moving forward. Last season, they failed to exceed 20 wins on the year. With a 19-63 record, Charlotte finished 14th in the Eastern Conference, beating out the Washington Wizards by just one game.

Heading into the new basketball year, the Hornets are still viewed as rebuilders in the Eastern Conference. While they hope to get a healthy LaMelo Ball taking a step forward, there are still many questions across the board.