Report: Former Gonzaga guard Malachi Smith waived by Brooklyn Nets

Jul. 10—Malachi Smith was rock-solid for the Brooklyn Nets during a 15-game stint to close the 2025-26 NBA season, but the former Gonzaga guard won’t be on the team’s roster next season after being waived Friday.

The Nets exercised Smith’s minimum-salary team option at the end of June, but elected to move on from the 26-year-old who spent the majority of the season with Brooklyn’s G League team in Long Island before a short stint with the Nets to close the year.

Smith averaged 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists while playing 23.9 minutes per game, shooting 48.5% from the field and connecting on 43.5% of his 3-point attempts. The former Gonzaga guard made four starts and came off the bench 11 times for Brooklyn.

Smith posted his season-high in both points and rebounds when he registered a 19-point, 10-rebound double-double during a 125-108 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on April 10. He reached double figures in four other games for Brooklyn.

After spending four seasons at Wright State and Chattanooga, Smith transferred to Gonzaga for his senior season in 2022-23, averaging 8.7 ppg en route to West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Smith went undrafted before joining the Portland Trail Blazers‘ G League affiliate, the Rip City Remix. He finished the season with the G League Wisconsin Herd (Milwaukee Bucks) and signed with the Memphis Hustle (Memphis Grizzlies) prior to the 2024-25 season.