"He lowkey a demon" - NBA fans hyped as Lakers land Klutch athlete Nick Smith Jr alongside LeBron James

LA Lakers fans were excited after the team signed Klutch athlete Nick Smith Jr. to the roster in a two-way contract. The announcement was two days before the team's training camp started, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.

Smith Jr. was drafted at No. 27 by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2023 NBA draft. After two seasons with the team, he was waived by the Hornets two weeks before. The signing of the 21-year-old shooting guard was welcomed by fans on the internet.

Reacting to Smith Jr. joining LeBron James and others, one fan said that Smith Jr. was an underrated good player.

"OH SHI HE LOWKY A DEMONNN."

.

@jordydagoat_

@mcten OH SHI HE LOWKY A DEMONNN

Another fan said that Nick Smith Jr.'s game was great for the Lakers.

"He's got a beautiful floater and nice shooting mechanics. Love this for the Lakers."

Colyns Mamba

@DonGambinoRex

@mcten He's got a beautiful floater and nice shooting mechanics. Love this for the Lakers.

"Lol. I'm actually surprised about this pickup. Good job LakeShow."

Andrew

@iLLV1LL383

@mcten Lol. I'm actually surprised about this pickup. Good job LakeShow

A fan recalled Smith Jr. having a good game against the Purple & Gold last season.

"He had a pretty good game against us last year if i recall."

𝓒𝓲𝓽𝔂𝓗𝓸𝓸𝓹𝓼 ⛹🏾‍♂️

@CiudadBBall

@mcten He had a pretty good game against us last year if i recall

One of the fans commented that the Lakers were finally able to bring another version of Malik Monk to the team.

"we finally replaced malik monk after all these years."

ali

@alij8h

@hollywoodbron we finally replaced malik monk after all these years

A fan was happy for the NBA player getting a big opportunity to play for a big team in the league.

"From the outhouse to the penthouse. Not much room to see immediate PT but what a learning opportunity."

Black Knight 94

@BlackKnight94s

@MikeAScotto @hoopshype From the outhouse to the penthouse. Not much room to see immediate PT but what a learning opportunity.

Another happy Laker fan was excited about Smith Jr. elevating the team's bench scoring.

"He actually solid we need bench scoring bad if he actually plays he could help."

Tydiorr

@cbfwtyyy

@SpeakContext @lif3nick He actually solid we need bench scoring bad if he actually plays he could help

What does Nick Smith Jr. mean for the Lakers?

The Lakers had three of the two-way roster spots to fill heading into the 2025-26 season. After Christian Koloko and Chris Mañon, Nick Smith Jr.'s signing has filled the one remaining spot.

Smith Jr.'s signing could prove to be really beneficial for the team. He is a young guard who has shown great improvement since his rookie season. Moreover, if anything, he has proved in his first two NBA seasons that Smith Jr. could really be honed into a great outside shooter, especially with JJ Redick to guide him.

In his rookie year, the 21-year-old guard shot 43.2% from the 3-point line. The former Arkansas guard has also shown his ability to be a playmaker and score the ball. From his rookie to his sophomore season, both his scoring and assist numbers increased.

In his rookie season, Nick Smith Jr. averaged 5.9 points, 1.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists. In the 2024-25 season, he averaged 9.9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game. He could occasionally prove to be a great option on the floor.