The Brooklyn Nets are signing guard Malachi Smith, a 6’4” combo guard, to a 10-day contract. Smith has spent this season with Brooklyn’s G-League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, while on a standard G-League contract. At least temporarily, Smith fills the Nets open roster spot.
Hoopshype’s Michael Scotto was the first to report the news…
Smith has played In 39 total games in Long Island this season. Undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2023, he had previously played for the G League affiliates of the Trailblazers, Bucks and Grizzlies traded him to Long Island last September.
His numbers jumped in mid-season when Long Island coach Mfon Udofia inserted him at point guard after Nolan Traore was called up to Brooklyn. In his past 10 games with Long Island, Smith averaged 18.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 7.8 assists while shooting 57.9% from the field and converting 50% of his opportunities from beyond the arc. He’s also become one of league leaders in assists with games of 15, 13, 11 and 10 assists. He has also had issues turnovers in that stretch but retains a 2-to-1 assist to turnover ratio.
At 26 years old, Smith will be the third-oldest player on Brooklyn’s squad behind Terance Mann and Nic Claxton.
He will join high school teammate, Nets two-way E.J. Liddell, on the Brooklyn roster. The two, playing for Belleville West High School in Belleville, Illinois, won the state championship in 2018. Liddell is a year younger.
Smith’s opportunity in the NBA comes amid word that Grant Nelson who previously played on a 10-day, is done for the season. As Brian Lewis first reported Nelson will return to Long Island but will not play due to a diagnosis of patellar tendinitis…
Nelson dealt with a nagging knee injury this season, an issue that has persisted since his college days as a freshman at North Dakota State. Following a seven-week rehab process in mid-season, he was able to return to the court and start 15 games with the G League club, though under minutes restrictions.
“I’ve been dealing with knee soreness for I don’t know how many years, really, since I started college. It was kind of just affecting how I was playing, and I had to get it over with and get all the rehab done, and get it back to feeling 100%. The performance staff here did a great job. Everyone really cares about me, and that meant a lot,” Nelson told NetsDaily.
Even on a minutes restriction, Nelson was able to dominate. In those 15 starts, he put up 24 points and 12 rebounds per 36 minutes. The organization rewarded him with a 10-day deal. In four games, Nelson played 35 minutes, putting up 17 points, six rebounds, six assists and three blocks. Surprisingly, he was not renewed for a second 10-day. The injury diagnosis may explain why. The status of his G League rights going forward remains murky.
The diagnosis comes at an inopportune time for Nelson. With Day’Ron Sharpe out for the season, Nelson may very well have gotten minutes with Brooklyn if he’d been healthy.
For now, Smith gets an opportunity to showcase his skills in the NBA while Nelson’s promising season comes to an end.
