The Detroit Pistons got back on track on Wednesday night (April 8), with a win over the Milwaukee Bucks at home.
The game marked the first time Tolu Smith was playing on a standard contract with the Pistons. The center didn’t get much playing time, but he managed to log one minute of action.
Leading up to the game, the Pistons officially announced the promotion of Smith with a post on social media.
via Detroit Pistons on X: OFFICIAL – We have signed two-way center Tolu Smith to a two-year standard contract.
Tolu Smith Reacts To Landing A Standard Deal
via Hunter Patterson, The Athletic: Tolu Smith on telling his family he’d been converted to a standard contract:
“My mom was crying, granny was crying, everybody was crying. Just seeing that almost made me cry. Seeing those tears of joy, seeing the work I’ve put in, and trusting God. That’s all it’s been.”
Smith’s NBA journey has been difficult. He started his NCAA career at Western Kentucky before moving to Mississippi State. In 2024, Smith was in the NBA Draft pool, but nobody selected him.
The NBA G League was in store for Smith. After he spent the NBA Summer League with the Pistons, Smith joined the Motor City Cruise.
In January of the 2024-2025 NBA season, Smith signed a two-way contract with the Pistons. It was a feel-good moment for the young standout, but he still had plenty of work to do.
At this point, the hard work is paying off. Smith inked a standard contract with the Pistons, which is estimated to be a two-year deal.
According to Spotrac, Smith is slated to earn $2.4 million through 2027 if he sees the deal through. Currently, Spotrac estimates that just roughly $70,000 is guaranteed to finish out the season.
Most of that money would be seen during the 2026-2027 NBA season if Smith remains with the Pistons for next year.
The Pistons Have A Strong Front Court
Tolu Smith is a journeyman facing a lot of competition in the Detroit front court.
Isaac Jones is the other two-way player, with a position in the front court. Beyond him, the Pistons have Tobias Harris, Isaiah Stewart, Paul Reed, and the All-Star, Jalen Duren.
With Harris and Stewart dealing with setbacks lately, the Pistons needed Smith for depth purposes. Since the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference is locked up for Detroit, the Pistons could utilize Smith in the coming games to close out the final week.
The Pistons will take the court on Friday, April 10, against the Charlotte Hornets next.