The Lakers convert Smith's contract to a standard two-year deal! The playoff roster of 15 players is finalized: James leads the team in pursuit of championship.

On April 12 Beijing time, according to renowned reporter Shams, the Los Angeles Lakers will sign a new two-year contract with two-way guard Nick Smith Jr. With Doncic and Reaves unavailable, this move by the Lakers aims to bolster guard depth for the playoffs. This also means he fills the roster spot vacated by the earlier release of Bufkin, becoming the 15th player on the Lakers playoff roster.

The 21-year-old Smith has played 29 games for the Lakers, averaging 6.0 points and 1.0 assists per game, with a three-point shooting percentage of 40%. He was the 27th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and spent his first two professional seasons with the Charlotte Hornets.

Previously, team reporter Buha indicated that this selection was likely to be between Timi and Nick Smith Jr., both needing to sign a standard NBA contract to qualify for playoff participation.

At that time, Buha stated that although Timi is overall a more capable player, Smith's guard skills might currently be more suitable for the Lakers, especially as the team's backcourt is short-handed due to injuries to Doncic and Reaves. "In my view, Timi is clearly the better player, there's hardly any debate about that," Buha said. "But Nick Smith Jr. fits the role of ball-handler and scorer better, capable of scoring in bursts when he gets hot."

Ultimately, the Lakers decided to award this conversion spot to Nick Smith Jr. With this signing finalized, the Lakers' playoff roster of 15 players is now officially set.

James, Doncic, Reaves, Ayton, Hachimura, Smart, Kennard, Laravia, Hayes, Vanderbilt, Knecht, Bronny, Kleber, Tiero, Nick Smith Jr.