On September 26 , the Charlotte Hornets waived 2023 first-round pick and former University of Arkansas guard Nick Smith in a surprising move.

Last season, Smith played 60 games for the Hornets, starting 27 of them, averaging 9.9 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.1 rebounds per game , shooting 39.1% from the field , 34.9% from three-point range , and 93.5% from the free throw line . These numbers initially showed his steady progress in his second year in the NBA.

In his rookie season, Smith led all rookies with a 43.2% three-point shooting percentage, showing his accurate outside shooting ability. He has played in 111 games in his career so far, with his highest score being 28 points against the Raptors in April 2025 , with 10 assists and 6 rebounds.

Although the Hornets exercised the team option for the third year of his contract last October, Smith eventually lost his position in the competition as the team continued to supplement backcourt players in the 2025 draft and free market. After being cut, he will still receive a full salary and have the opportunity to sign with other teams before training camp.

Smith played just one season at the University of Arkansas, playing in 17 games due to a knee injury, averaging 12.5 points per game. He was once the top-ranked high school prospect in the nation and was selected by the Hornets with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2023 draft, becoming the 15th first-round pick in school history.