The Nets are keeping Malachi Smith in the fold, at least for now, by exercising their minimum-salary team option, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
That option comes in at $2,150,917, though Brooklyn’s decision doesn’t fully lock that number onto the 2026/27 cap sheet just yet. Smith’s salary remains non-guaranteed until the league-wide salary guarantee deadline in January, which means the Nets still have flexibility. If they need cap space or choose not to keep him on the regular-season roster, they could waive him without any money counting against the books.
Smith’s path to this point has been a grind. The 26-year-old went undrafted out of Gonzaga in 2023 and spent most of his first three pro seasons in the G League. Brooklyn brought him up in the second half of 2025/26, first on two 10-day deals and then on a standard contract.
Once he got a real runway, he made the most of it. Smith became part of the rotation for a Nets team headed for the lottery and produced solid numbers over his first 15 NBA appearances, including four starts. He averaged 8.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists in 23.9 minutes per game while shooting .485/.435/1.000.
Smith is the only one of Brooklyn’s four team options to be picked up. The Nets declined Day’Ron Sharpe’s and Josh Minott’s options so they can re-sign both to new two-year deals, and they also passed on Ziaire Williams’ $6.25MM option.
In Other News...
Nets Linked To Proven Wing Who Could Fill A Major Need
Rui Hachimura has spent the past season showing why he can still matter in the right NBA role, and his shooting made him one of the more interesting wings slated to reach free agency. After adjusting to a different role with the Lakers, he was productive enough to put himself back on the radar for teams looking for size, versatility and a credible outside threat on the wing.
For Brooklyn, that kind of profile fits a clear need as the front office weighs ways to add more dependable perimeter scoring and lineup flexibility. Hachimuras appeal goes beyond one hot stretch, too, because he delivered at a high level in both the regular season and the playoffs, which is exactly the kind of track record that can turn a bidding situation into a real test of how aggressive the market gets. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Just Made A Telling Decision On Two Young Rotation Pieces
The Nets are making a clear call on two young rotation pieces, declining the team options on DayRon Sharpe and Josh Minott so they can bring both back on new multiyear contracts. Sharpe is expected to land a two-year, $20 million deal, while Minott is set for a two-year, $9 million contract with a second-year team option, a sign Brooklyn wants to keep both in the fold rather than let the old option numbers dictate the next step.
For Sharpe, the move fits with the bigger picture after Nic Claxtons trade reshaped the frontcourt and opened the door for a larger role. Minott, meanwhile, arrived mid-season from Boston and quickly became part of the teams rotation conversation, which helps explain why Brooklyn is moving now to avoid losing either player to a more complicated market. The structure of the deals says the Nets see value in continuity, even if the roster picture around them is still changing. [Read more 🡒]
Nets Lock In Two Key Pieces Before Their Bigger Free Agency Swing
Brooklyn spent the final stretch of roster housekeeping locking in two rotation pieces before turning its attention to the bigger prizes ahead in free agency. The Nets declined their 2026-27 team options on Josh Minott and DayRon Sharpe, then quickly brought both back on new deals, a move that keeps the frontcourt and wing depth in place while preserving flexibility for what comes next.
Minott, acquired from Boston at the trade deadline, settled in as a useful piece and even flashed a higher ceiling with a career night against the Hawks. Sharpe, meanwhile, remains one of the more familiar faces on the roster after arriving in Brooklyn in 2021, and the new contract reflects how much the Nets value his spot in the rotation as they navigate the next phase of their offseason. [Read more 🡒]