Michigan's Chaundee Brown, Mike Smith go undrafted, reach agreements with NBA teams
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
- Oops!Something went wrong.Please try again later.
Two former Michigan basketball players will try to make the NBA as undrafted free agents.
Chaundee Brown and Mike Smith each reportedly reached agreements with NBA teams shortly after the draft ended Thursday night, with Brown signing an exhibit-10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, and Smith accepting a Summer League invite from the Milwaukee Bucks.
DRAFT ANALYST: Pistons may have gotten NBA draft steal with Michigan's Isaiah Livers
Michigan-wing Chaundee Brown will sign an exhibit-10 contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, a source told ESPN. Was the No. 60 ranked prospect on the ESPN 100. Great pickup for the Lakers.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) July 30, 2021
Brown may be in a favorable position to earn a spot with the Lakers, who currently have four players under guaranteed contracts after a blockbuster trade for point guard Russell Westbrook on Thursday. An exhibit-10 contract is a one-year contract that guarantees an invitation to training camp; Brown can also earn a bonus to sign with a G League team if he is eventually waived during camp.
Brown, who was ranked No. 60 on ESPN's ranking of the top-100 draft prospects, may be able to catch on as a 3-and-D wing. Listed at 6 feet 5, 215 pounds, Brown played well in his lone season at Michigan after transferring from Wake Forest; as a sixth man off the bench, he averaged eight points and 3.1 rebounds while shooting 41.9% on 3.3 3-point attempts per game, and displaying tenacity as an on-ball defender.
Former Michigan guard Mike Smith has agreed to play in Summer League with the Milwaukee Bucks, a league source told @HoopsHype.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 30, 2021
Like Brown, Smith was also an integral member of the team last season. The grad transfer from Columbia started all 28 games at point guard for the Wolverines, averaging nine points and 5.3 assists while shooting 41.8% from 3-point range. Smith proved capable of leading an offense that relied heavily upon ball screens, but his size (5-11, 185) will likely play a major role in whether he can emerge as an NBA contributor.
Earlier Thursday night, Franz Wagner was drafted No. 8 overall by the Orlando Magic while Isaiah Livers was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round with the No. 42 overall pick.
Contact Orion Sang at osang@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @orion_sang. Read more on the Michigan Wolverines and sign up for our Wolverines newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Chaundee Brown signs exhibit-10 contract with L.A. Lakers
