Hornets adding former top-10 pick Dennis Smith Jr. to roster

LaMelo Ball will be backed up next season by a fellow former top-ten pick.

Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Wednesday that veteran guard Dennis Smith Jr. has signed with the Charlotte Hornets on a one-year deal. The Hornets were in the market for more point guard depth after Isaiah Thomas’ contract expired this summer.

Smith, 24, was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft but has proven to be a bust to this point of his career. Prior to Charlotte, he had played for four different NBA teams with his stats getting worse and worse ever since a solid rookie year. That was not entirely Smith’s fault though as he had battled injuries and clunky fits on his teams.

With the Hornets, Smith figures to get a nice look as the only true backup point guard on the roster (Terry Rozier starts at shooting guard next to Ball and 22-year-old James Bouknight is more of a 2 as well). Plus between Ball’s flashy play and Smith’s bounce-house athleticism, Hornets’ practices could quickly become must-watch affairs.