As the Los Angeles Lakers battle yet another injury crisis toward the end of the year, the available players are carrying the “next man up” mentality. Two-way signee Nick Smith Jr. has quietly made a name for himself this season, and his latest performance suggests he’s ready to exceed coach JJ Redick’s expectations going forward.
Lakers Two-Way Guard Proving Worthy of Increased Role
Nick Smith Jr. Lights the Beam vs. Sacramento
Ahead of Sunday night’s clash with the Sacramento Kings, Redick said Smith Jr. would jump into LA’s rotation with the team’s guard depth depleted by injuries. After a string of inconsistent opportunities, Smith broke out with 21 points, three rebounds and an assist while shooting 8/14 from the field and 5/10 from three. It was his second-highest scoring game of the season, one month removed from a 25-point outburst in LA’s win over the Portland Trail Blazers. The third-year guard also reached a personal milestone in last night’s victory: surpassing 1,000 career points.
Sunday’s showing brought Smith’s averages up to 8.6 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists on 45.7% shooting from the field, 42.9% from three and 62.5% from the free-throw line. He torched Sacramento’s defense with aggressive drives to the rim while also making them pay from the perimeter, tying a season-high in made three-pointers.
Postgame Reaction From Redick, Smith Jr.
When asked about maintaining Smith Jr.’s confidence, Redick replied:
“He’s helped us win two games, he helped us win tonight. He’s been in a lot of NBA games for someone his age, so this is not new. It’s why we wanted him—we couldn’t sign him to a 15th spot because of the apron, but it’s why we wanted him on the Lakers and part of our program: because we know he can score.”
He added that when the 21-year-old plays his game within LA’s structure, “A lot of times, good things happen.”
Reflecting on his own performance, Smith Jr. told reporters:
“I’m in a space where I’m just locked in right now, just [trying to] do what I can to help this team win. … I just try to prepare everyday like it’s game day and it showed tonight. [The] coaching staff got a lot of trust in me [to] go out there, do what I do. I haven’t had that in a long time.”
How Smith Jr. Can Help Lakers Bench in Short Term
Assuming the Lakers keep the same starting five from last night—which saw Marcus Smart replace an injured Austin Reaves (Grade 2 calf strain)—Smith Jr. could easily make an impact in roughly 20 minutes off the bench.
His three-point marksmanship is exactly what the Lakers need next to Luka Doncic and LeBron James, and his scoring is vital for a second unit that remains dead last in points per game (25.5) and equally atrocious in threes made (3.4 per game). After two years of playing for a lottery pick in Charlotte, Smith Jr. has proven he can aid a title pursuit in Tinseltown.
If he plays well enough in Reaves’ absence, the Lakers will have a choice to make by mid-January, when they can sign a 15th player to a guaranteed contract. In some ways, this stretch is another audition period for Nick Smith Jr., who is becoming another G League success story for the purple and gold. For now, he’ll keep turning heads as the Lakers trend back in the right direction. They wrap up 2025 against the Detroit Pistons tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. PT.
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