Thanks to some injuries and the general growth of a second-year player, Nick Smith Jr. has jumped from 14.1 minutes per game in 51 games (no starts) to 22.6 minutes per game in 52 games (25 starts) ...

Thanks to a bevy of injuries, Nick Smith Jr. has been pressed not only into the Charlotte Hornets' rotation but into the starting lineup. The guard was a late first-round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.