Gonzaga's Malachi Smith signs with Portland Trail Blazers as undrafted free agent
Former Gonzaga guard Malachi Smith will be sticking around the Pacific Northwest after signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday.
An Exhibit 10 deal is a league minimum salary contract that can be turned into a two-way deal if done before the season begins. That means Smith, 23, will have all training camp and the NBA Summer League to earn himself a roster spot for the 2023-24 season.
It wasn't a surprise to see Smith go undrafted, as the 6-foot-4 guard was not mentioned in any mock drafts leading up to Thursday. While there was potential for him to return to Gonzaga for another season, Smith announced on May 31 that he would remain draft eligible.
Last season, Smith averaged 8.7 points and 3.6 rebounds for the Zags and was named the West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year. He shot 50% from behind the arc on 2.4 attempts per game.
After winning Southern Conference Player of the Year in 2021-22 at Chattanooga, Smith joined Gonzaga last season where he was the first player off Mark Few’s bench.
Smith was one of Gonzaga’s most efficient guard during the 2023 NCAA Tournament. He shot 57.1% from the field and 55.6% from deep during the Zags' run to the Elite Eight.
Smith's signing comes hours after his Gonzaga teammate Drew Timme signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Milwaukee Bucks. Julian Strawther was drafted by the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets with the 29th overall pick.
