Nick Smith Jr. Hit Free Agency After the Lakers Passed on His Option. Here’s What That Means.

The Lakers made a low-key but telling roster move Monday, declining Nick Smith Jr.’s team option and letting the 22-year-old guard walk into unrestricted free agency. The decision came right before Tuesday’s NBA free agency start, giving Los Angeles a little more cap breathing room and an open roster spot to chase veteran help.

Smith was a first-round pick by Charlotte back in 2023, a combo guard who flashed scoring pop at Arkansas. He bounced between the Lakers and their G League affiliate in South Bay during the 2025-26 season before earning a standard contract in April. That short evaluation window was enough for the front office to decide not to commit.

The Scoring Flashes Were Real

Smith’s got talent. He dropped 25 points on the Thunder in March without even attempting a free throw. That sort of pure shot-making is why teams keep taking swings on him. But he never cracked JJ Redick’s rotation with any consistency. He played spot minutes, missed stretches of games entirely, and never found a rhythm that forced the coaching staff to keep him on the floor. So the option deadline turned into a natural pivot point.

Spotrac’s Keith Smith reported the news on X Monday, citing a league source. The Lakers declined the option, and Smith now can negotiate with any team. No matching rights, no strings attached.

For Los Angeles, this is a win-now signal. They’re trying to reshape the back end of the roster and probably want a veteran who can contribute immediately rather than waiting on a developmental guard to figure things out. The Lakers have real pressure to improve around their core this offseason, and every roster spot counts.

What Smith Gets Out of This

Unrestricted free agency isn’t a bad deal for Smith either. He’ll get to shop his scoring ability to teams that need backcourt depth and can offer more minutes than the Lakers were giving him. Some team will likely take a flier on a 22-year-old who can put the ball in the basket. That kind of shot creation still has value around the league.

Meanwhile, the Lakers move forward with more flexibility and an open slot to fill as free agency opens. They didn’t overthink this one. They made a call, and now both sides get a fresh start.