There were worries when the Charlotte Hornets didn't tender Tre Mann a qualifying offer earlier this week. The concerns have been nipped in the bud, though, because the plan all along may have been to bring the guard back with a bargain three-year deal. However, the Hornets' backcourt has become quite crowded, and Nick Smith Jr. has likely lost his rotation spot as a result.
If Charlotte is healthy, most of the minutes at the ball-handler and wing positions are presumably going to be allocated to LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Collin Sexton, and Mann. Liam McNeeley and Josh Green have to be in the mix as well. As such, it's hard to see where Smith Jr. fits in the picture.
Does that mean the 21-year-old shooting guard has already played his last game in a Hornets uniform? Unless Jeff Peterson can flip him for more draft capital, chances are Smith Jr. will continue his career with the franchise. However, the G League may be his home for the foreseeable future.
Hornets can only put so many undersized guards on the floor
Unfortunately for NSJ, the combination of his physique and skill set has made it tough for Charlotte to put him on the court unless the other players ahead of him in the depth chart are sidelined. It doesn't help his case that he and Mann are similarly undersized, offensive-minded guards, although he has been significantly more inefficient from the field.
Smith Jr. had plenty of opportunities last season to become a key fixture of the Hornets' rotation moving forward. However, he couldn't capitalize on seeing increased minutes. He logged a second consecutive season shooting 39.1 percent from the field, while his 3-point efficiency regressed to 34.0 percent from 43.2 percent in the 2023-24 campaign.
The two-year pro could have compelled the Hornets front office not to bring in wing reinforcements this summer if he were at least functional on the defensive end. But he has so far found it tough to stay in front of opponents and chase after his defensive assignments in off-ball situations.
So, aside from his occasional scoring outbursts and serving as insurance against injuries, Smith Jr. just doesn't provide enough value for Charlotte. He probably wouldn't even net the organization anything more than a second-round pick if it decides to put him on the trading block. He was even available earlier this year, but there were no indications that other teams put in an offer for the inconsistent microwave scorer.
Maybe an extended stint in the G League would be beneficial for the Smith Jr.'s development. He also has to stay ready in case the coaching staff needs to call him up because, until proven otherwise, dealing with injuries is a recurring inevitability for the squad.