Before All-Star guard Luka Doncic made the Dallas Mavericks his own team, Dennis Smith Jr. was supposed to be the franchise’s next best thing. After bouncing around the league, the franchise is now considering in bringing their former star back to bolster their depth at the guard position.
During his high school career, Smith was a standout player at Trinity Christian School in Fayetteville, North Carolina. He was named the Gatorade Basketball Player of the Year for North Carolina in 2015 and was considered one of the best players and point guards in the 2016 high school class.
Before Smith played in the NBA, he attended North Carolina State University for one season, where he earned second-team all-conference honors in the ACC and was named ACC Rookie of the Year.
The dynamic guard was selected ninth overall in the 2017 NBA draft by the Mavericks, where he spent two seasons. He was then traded to the New York Knicks in 2019 and later joined the Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers, and Charlotte Hornets. In July of last year, he signed with the Brooklyn Nets as a free agent.
Smith’s professional career has seen him move between several NBA teams, showcasing his talent and potential as a point guard. His journey highlights the competitive nature of the NBA and the challenges players can face in establishing themselves at the highest level of the sport.
Dallas Mavericks Considered Signing Dennis Smith Jr. Amid Search for Guard Depth
Just recently, Dallas signed Spencer Dinwiddie to a one-year deal to bolster their guard rotation. According a newsletter written by NBA insider Marc Stein, though, the front office also considered bringing Smith back and even entertained the idea of getting Talen Horton-Tucker.
“League sources say that the Mavericks have also considered signing Dennis Smith Jr. and Talen Horton-Tucker,” Stein said.
Over the course of seven seasons in the NBA, Smith has averaged 9.7 points on 40 percent shooting from the field, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. Meanwhile, Horton-Tucker posted 9.8 points on 42 field goal percentage, 2.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in his five-year run in the league.
Even though the Mavericks went with Dinwiddie, Smith may still contribute for another team if given the chance. In any case, a lot of eyes will be on Dallas to see if they’ve assembled enough talent around Doncic, one-time NBA champion Kyrie Irving, and former Golden State Warriors star Klay Thompson for another championship run.
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