NBA Player News

Smith became a free agent Tuesday after his 10-day contract with the Nets expired, Keith Smith of Spotrac.com reports.

After signing with Brooklyn on March 14, Smith appeared in each of the Nets' ensuing six games, averaging 6.2 points, 2.7 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 1.0 steals and 0.8 three-pointers in 19.5 minutes while shooting 50 percent from the field. Brooklyn will have the ability to re-sign the 26-year-old guard to a second 10-day pact or a rest-of-season deal, with any contract likely to be finalized before the team's next game Wednesday at Golden State. If the Nets opt not to re-sign Smith, he'll likely remain with the organization as a member of the G League's Long Island Nets.

Christie registered 15 points (6-8 FG, 3-5 3Pt), two rebounds, one assist, one block and two steals in 33 minutes during Monday's 137-131 overtime loss to Golden State.

Christie posted his highest point total in over a month, due in large part to a decent night beyond the arc. He missed only two shots during the narrow loss. The fourth-year pro has settled into a starting role during his first full season with the Mavericks, and a hallmark of his game is his ability to stay healthy. The guard has missed only eight games over the past two seasons, and two of those were during his transfer from Los Angeles to Dallas.

Flagg totaled 32 points (12-19 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 6-6 FT), four rebounds, nine assists and two steals in 42 minutes during Monday's 137-131 overtime loss to Golden State.

Flagg had a superb night and fell one assist shy of a double-double during the heartbreaking loss. The rookie will miss out on his first shot at the playoffs following a horrific 2-8 skid that put the Play-In out of reach. Flagg will need a superb stretch of games as the season ends if he hopes to take home any hardware, as Kon Knueppel may earn more votes for Rookie of the Year with the Hornets making an improbable run to the postseason.

Payton finished with 17 points (8-8 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 0-1 FT), four rebounds, three assists and two steals in 21 minutes during Monday's 137-131 overtime win over the Mavericks.

Payton returned to play after resting one game for injury management and was perfect from the floor during the victory. The 10-year pro is averaging only 14.9 minutes per game, but he's seen a noticeable uptick to 22.3 minutes over his past 10 appearances. He's also averaged 13.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.9 steals over the span.

Porzingis logged 22 points (7-17 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 6-7 FT), seven rebounds, five assists and one steal over 29 minutes during Monday's 137-131 overtime victory over the Mavericks.

Porzingis is making the most of his opportunities with the Warriors when he's healthy. However, he's still battling injury issues that have limited him to only 25 games this season. The Hawks could no longer afford to keep the oft-injured vet on the payroll long term, but he's come in handy for his new team, which needs more of an interior presence during the final playoff push.

Podziemski supplied 20 points (8-15 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-2 FT), 10 rebounds, six assists, one block and one steal over 40 minutes during Monday's 137-131 overtime win over the Mavericks.

Podziemski bounced back with a solid total after struggling through a rough four-game stretch where he averaged only 10.0 points. The third-year pro has been indispensable during Stephen Curry's (knee) extended absence. Given the Warriors' playoff position with only 10 games remaining, Podziemski will continue to receive every opportunity to produce, with Curry's regular-season return becoming increasingly unlikely.

Minott ended with 15 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 3-4 FT), five rebounds, two steals and one assist across 33 minutes during Monday's 134-99 loss to the Trail Blazers.

After being left out of the rotation in the front end of the back-to-back set in Brooklyn's 126-122 loss to Sacramento, Minott moved into the starting five Tuesday for the first time as a member of the Nets and came through with a strong all-around line. Over his last six appearances, Minott is averaging 15.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.0 three-pointers, 1.5 steals, 1.0 assists and 1.0 blocks in 23.8 minutes per contest. While those numbers would make Minott worthy of rostering in nearly any format, the Nets' unpredictable usage of him makes it difficult to include him in fantasy lineups with much confidence. He's been a DNP-CD in four of Brooklyn's last 10 contests, and the Nets' decision on whether or not to play him in a particular game will seemingly hinge on both the matchup and which other players are available on a given night.

Williams recorded 16 points (4-7 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 7-7 FT), four rebounds, one assist and two steals across 24 minutes during Monday's 134-99 loss to Portland.

Williams has served as the primary replacement for Noah Clowney (wrist), and the former has averaged a solid 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists and 1.7 steals over the last three games as a starter. Clowney is day-to-day and could return at any time, but Williams will serve in the first unit until Clowney returns to full health.

Etienne ended with 18 points (6-10 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), one rebound, four assists and one steal across 24 minutes during Monday's 134-99 loss to the Trail Blazers.

Etienne's shooting was on point during the blowout loss. He's fared well as a backup in 16 games with the parent club, and he'll likely remain with the squad for the remainder of the season with 34 games left on his two-way contract. As long as Brooklyn's injury report remains robust, Etienne should see steady minutes off the bench.

Clingan logged seven points (3-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 15 rebounds and seven blocks in 24 minutes during Monday's 134-99 win over the Nets.

Although Clingan struggled to find the bottom of the basket, he led with a game-high 15 rebounds in only 24 minutes. Clingan would have likely posted his 33rd double-double of the season if he had not been pulled in the fourth quarter, but the decrease in playing time snapped a healthy seven-game double-double streak. He currently ranks sixth in the category, just behind standouts like Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama.