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Feb 1, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard Nick Smith Jr. (8) celebrates after making a shot during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

Nick Smith Jr's release shows an organizational change in Charlotte

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Owen O'Connor | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Three years ago, Nick Smith Jr was the #1 ranked player on 24/7 Sports.

Two years ago, Nick Smith Jr was a first round draft pick.

Four days ago, Nick Smith Jr was waived by the Charlotte Hornets.

One day ago, Nick Smith Jr was signed to a two-way contract by the Los Angeles Lakers.

It's difficult to tell a story on Nick Smith Jr without highlighting the fact that in all likelihood, he was not given enough time to develop in Charlotte.

The 21 year old guard played in 111 games with the Hornets, starting in 27 of them. Across those 111 games, he averaged 8 points a night on 39.1% from the field and 36.9% from deep. While the numbers do not jump out, this is a 21 year old guard who, because of the talent on the roster, spent plenty of time without the ball in his hands.

Of the 7.7 shots a night he was taking, 4.1 were threes. Were they good shots? Not all of them. Still, Smith Jr's ability to develop was reliant on needing the ball in his hands, something that the Hornets could not offer anymore.

The team saw the return of LaMelo Ball and Tre Mann from injury, and acquired two ball-handlers in Collin Sexton and Spencer Dinwiddie.

"Where we are just in terms of our guard rotation," President of Basketball Operations Jeff Peterson said yesterday, "You know we just felt like it was the best thing to move off of him at this time."

Asked Jeff Peterson on the decision to release Nick Smith Jr: “Looking at our guard rotation, we felt like it was the best thing to move off of him at this time.” Peterson also wished him nothing but the best. pic.twitter.com/J0Lk93qIZ6
— Owen O’Connor (@OwenOConnorNBA) September 29, 2025

Peterson wished him nothing but the best, and said he has "no doubt" that Smith will continue to get better.

Though the former Razorback is now on a two-way deal, the Lakers lack of depth at the guard position can and will see him with the ball in his hands significantly more than he would in Charlotte.

A divorce was needed for both sides. What's interesting about the Hornets release of Smith so early shows one of the many shifts the front office has made since Peterson was hired just last year.

Two years ago, former Head Coach Steve Clifford said it himself in pregame media availability: "The NBA is full of all these guys, they play cause we drafted them 6th, 7th, 8th and we don't want to say 'Gee, we might've made a mistake' and by the time they're 23, they're gone... and two more coaches got fired."

While NSJ may have needed more time to develop, his release shows that Peterson has no attachment to players, and has no issue cutting ties no matter who the player is.

The Hornets want to get back to the postseason. Peterson routinely mentioned it during his media day availabiity yesterday. To get back, the Hornets need to acknowledge the fact that their star player has injury history. Surrounding him with veterans and players who can step up and contribute to winning is necessary. Can Smith Jr do this down the line? Absolutely. Can the Hornets afford to lose more games in hopes that maybe he develops into that? At this point, no.

As said above, a divorce was needed for both sides. The Hornets want players who can help impact winning right now, and Nick Smith Jr needs to go somewhere that can give him time and let him develop properly.