April 4, 2026, 11:30 a.m. ET

NEW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Malachi Smith made his NBA debut in March as the Nets were looking for guard depth after injuries to rookies Egor Demin and Danny Wolf. Brooklyn is also at the point of their season where they are evaluating what they have on the roster heading into next season and it looks like Smith will be one of those players the team is investing in.

The Nets announced on Saturday that they signed Smith to a multi-year contract with ESPN’s Shams Charania reporting that the deal is for two years. Charania and the Nets have not announced what the financial terms of the agreement are so it’s unknown at this time how much Smith’s contract will count against Brooklyn’s cap, but it’s safe to say that he is grateful for the opportunity.

“It’s been like a blessing, for sure, but I think it’s just a testament to my work and my journey. If anyone knows my journey, it’s anything but easy,” Smith said after Friday’s 141-107 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. “For me, I’m just trying to stay present and just be the same player. Just be grateful, and just do what got me here. Obviously, there’s a transition, physically, athletically, thinking the game a lot faster, but at the end of the day, it’s still basketball.”

Smith, 26, is having a solid rookie season in the NBA as he’s averaging 7.3 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 54.5% from three-point land. Smith earned his first 10-day contract by having his best season in the G League for Long Island, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, with averages of 14.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 52.4% from the floor and 42.6% from deep.

With Smith being signed to a multi-year contract, he is now one of 10 players under contract for next season for the Nets, implying that he should be a factor for the team moving forward. Smith should continue seeing playing time as this season comes to a close, but the good news is that he can play with a different mindset now that his contract extends beyond this year.

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