Nets Exercise Smith’s Team Option for 2026-27 Season

Malachi Smith went from two 10-day contracts to the Brooklyn Nets picking up his team option ahead of Monday's 5 p.m. deadline, reported first by Brian Lewis of the New York Post.

Smith signed his first 10-day contract on March 13 and made his NBA debut against the Philadelphia 76ers on the following day. He had a rough outing, but there was promising defensive activity. The 26-year-old scored four points (2-for-4), grabbed three rebounds, blocked two shots, recorded one steal and had five turnovers.

He did not have the most glamorous debut, but his teammates had his back. Some of those teammates also played with Smith on the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn's G League affiliate.

"The system's the same with Long Island and here," Smith told reporters after his debut. "So, a lot, you know, the guys on the bench, too, were really speaking life into me, you know, telling me just do what I've been doing."

The 6-foot-4 guard played 10 games for Long Island. He averaged 10.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists on a blistering 59.7% from the field and 46.2% from three.

His dominance in the G League earned him his first 10-day contract, and although less efficient, he carried over similar production with the parent team. He erupted for 18 points (7-for-9) and three steals against the Sacramento Kings on March 22.

Brooklyn extended another 10-day contract to Smith, which he signed on March 25, the same day of its matchup against the Golden State Warriors. Smith scored 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting with three rebounds and one assist.

The former Gonzaga Bulldog had a quiet two games to end March, but opened April with a 15-point performance against the Atlanta Hawks. He shot 5-for-8 from the field, including 4-for-5 from three.

"I'm someone that has been praying for this opportunity and working for this opportunity for years," Smith told reporters after his 15-point performance. "So, I won't take any minute for granted. I will be able to go to sleep tonight knowing I played as hard as I can."

Smith continued his strong start to the month with three straight games scoring over 10 points, including a career-high 19 points against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Nets guard averaged 11 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists in April.

He signed a two-year, $2.2 million rest-of-season contract with Brooklyn, and his second year is fully non-guaranteed. That means he could be cut from the team without cap ramifications.

The Nets picking up Smith's team option for next season cements his position on the roster as a cost-controlled asset who can provide backcourt depth when needed.

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