Midseason report card: grading every Hornets player’s performance at All-Star break
By Ben Handler
Nick Smith Jr., Grade: B+
Smith has been a pleasant surprise for Charlotte this season. The 19-year-old rookie and late first-round pick was not expected to be a contributor, but the raw talent out of Arkansas has been thrust into action regularly, appearing in 37 games.
He has looked mostly raw and will need time to develop into a consistent NBA player, but he showed plenty of promise on the court and looks like he can be a player. Notably, he’s shooting over 45% from three-point land, on 113 attempts.
Sharp shooting and athleticism have popped for Smith Jr., which would make him a great fit as a possible shooting guard of the future. But everything else has looked like it needs some work, including shooting a paltry 37/104 on 2-point shots.
Above all, Smith just needs reps and that’s why he’s headed back to the G-League, probably for the remainder of the year. It’s a win for the Hornets that it looks like Smith can be a rotation player in the future, but he still has a long way to go, and a lot of skills to develop before he can impact winning on both ends.