Two-way guard Nick Smith Jr. Had another signature game for the Los Angeles Lakers in their 125-101 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday, the third game in which coach JJ Redick feels Smith won for them this season.
What stuck out most to Redick alongside his 21-point outing was Smith's defensive output. Amid his praising of the two-way player, the Lakers' coach bluntly admitted that his roster is has some pretty limited versatility.
“Our roster, frankly, has a lot of guys that do a lot of one thing really well and the balance of finding that offense-defense balance has got to be there for a guy like Nick to play meaningful minutes. That’s just the reality. He knows that," Redick told ESPN's Dave McMenamin after Monday's practice.
Nick Smith Jr.'s season
In 13 games with the Lakers this season, Smith Jr. Is averaging 8.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game, shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc.
Stretches of the season (like the one Los Angeles is on) without Austin Reaves and Gabe Vincent in the rotation made way for the former Charlotte Hornet to spread his wings. He's making a strong case for the Lakers to sign him for the rest of the season.
According to ESPN NBA salary cap insider Bobby Marks, Smith has 33 more days remaining on the active list, is eligible to have his contract converted to a standard NBA contract on Jan. 18 and is eligible until the final day of the regular season, which would make him playoff eligible, and, because his rookie contract was terminated by the Hornets, he will enter this offseason as an unrestricted free agent.
Redick teased a shift in the lineup ahead of Sunday, and it meant Smith would be getting an increased role. He will continue to be vital as key role players recover from injuries and the Lakers take on the Detroit Pistons at home on Tuesday.