Malachi Smith is sticking around a little longer.

The Nets announced Wednesday they’ve signed Smith to a second 10-day contract, keeping the 26-year-old guard in Brooklyn after a productive first stint that included one of his best nights yet as a pro.

Smith signed his first 10-day on March 14. In six games with the Nets, he averaged 6.2 points, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.0 steals in 19.6 minutes per game while shooting 50.0% from the field and 50.0% from 3-point range.

The highlight came March 22 at Sacramento, when Smith posted a career-high 18 points, added two rebounds and four assists, and set a career high with three steals in 29 minutes. For a player who arrived as a call-up, it was a noteworthy performance and an impressive stretch.

Smith’s path to Brooklyn has been the typical G League grind. He joined the Nets from Long Island, where he played 39 Tip-Off Tournament and regular-season games, including 18 starts. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 28.7 minutes per game, production that put him on the short list for a midseason opportunity.

“Yeah, I don’t want him to overthink it,” Nets head coach Jordi Fernández said of Smith. “I mean, he knows enough of what we’re trying to do. He’s a great, great guy. He’s been in the system, very good teammate, played really hard, played the right way, so I just don’t want him to think too much. His first experience was very positive. That group was great — down 28 to taking the lead is very impressive, how connected they were, how they competed, and that’s the brand of basketball we’re going to play.”

That opportunity has also reflected well on Long Island coach Mfon Udofia, who has now had three players earn NBA call-ups this season, including Smith and Grant Nelson with Brooklyn, and Jeenathan “Nate” Williams, who landed a two-way contract with the Golden State Warriors.

Smith has bounced around the G League before settling into this shot. He spent the previous two seasons in the NBA G League with the Rip City Remix in 2023-24, the Wisconsin Herd in 2024 and the Memphis Hustle in 2024-25. He came to pro basketball after going undrafted in 2023 following a final college season at Gonzaga, where he earned West Coast Conference Sixth Man of the Year honors.

Before Gonzaga, Smith played two seasons at Tennessee Chattanooga from 2020-22 and was named Southern Conference Player of the Year as a junior. He began his college career at Wright State in 2018-19 and made the Horizon League All-Freshman Team.

For the Nets, the second 10-day is simple. Smith produced in his minutes, defended with activity and gave them reliable ballhandling while the roster has churned through injuries and constant rotation experiments. The first deal got him in the door. In his second deal, he has a chance to potentially carve out a future role.