After concluding the 2025-26 season with the Brooklyn Nets, shooting guard Malachi Smith is now set to play in Canada with the Toronto Raptors. The 26-year-old’s initially non-guaranteed Exhibit 10 training camp contract has been upgraded to a two-way deal, as reported by HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. This means Smith will divide his playing time between the Raptors’ main NBA squad and their G League team, Raptors 905.
During his 15 games with Brooklyn, including four starts, the 6-foot-4 guard posted averages of 8.3 points per game, shooting an efficient 48.5 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from three-point range, and a perfect 100 percent on free throws. He also contributed 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per contest. Despite the Nets exercising his minimum salary team option on June 30, Smith was waived on July 10 as part of the team’s salary cap adjustments.
The Raptors are set to kick off their training camp on September 29. Alongside Smith, forward/center Graham Ike has also secured a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors. This development brings the total number of Gonzaga University alumni expected to be in the NBA at the start of the 2026-27 season to twelve.
Meanwhile, forward/center Drew Timme, who spent the past season on a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, was not retained for their playoff roster and remains a free agent as the Lakers have filled all three of their two-way slots.
Arden Cravalho, a Gonzaga graduate from the Bay Area, reports. Follow him on X @a_cravalho.
Fan Take: This move highlights the increasing value teams place on versatile two-way players like Malachi Smith, who can contribute both at the NBA and G League levels. For basketball fans, it signals more competitive opportunities and development pathways that could elevate the overall talent pool and excitement in the league.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
