Report: Mavericks exploring trading Dennis Smith Jr.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/report-mavericks-exploring-trading-dennis-000002600.html



Report: Mavericks exploring trading Dennis Smith Jr.



Dan Feldman,NBC Sports 16 hours ago



Just a few months ago, Dennis Smith Jr. looked like a potential franchise player for the Mavericks.

The No. 9 pick in the 2017 draft seemed like a steal. LeBron James raved about him. Smith made the All-Rookie second team.

Then, Dallas added Luka Doncic, and Smith has taken a backseat. It hasn’t always been smooth between Smith (a point guard) and Doncic (a point forward). The Mavericks are scoring just 99.5 points per 100 possessions and getting outscored by 5.8 points per 100 possessions when those two share the court.

Which leads to…

Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times:

Some scouts and general managers believe Dallas is quietly gauging interest in last year’s first-round pick, guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Doncic is better than Smith. Doncic is younger than Smith. Doncic has a more favorable contract than Smith.

The Mavericks should absolutely build around Doncic. If that means trading Smith, so be it.

But I wouldn’t give up on the 21-year-old Smith. Point guards tend to take longer to develop, and he possesses plenty of talent. He might even grow into a helpful fit with Doncic.

That said, Smith’s value remains high because he’s in just the second season of his rookie-scale contract and he holds upside. This could be the right time to trade him.

It’s definitely a good time to explore it, at least.



bob
MY NOTE:  How about Terry Rozier to Dallas for Smith + a pick?  According to the NBA Trade Machine that trade works money-wise.  I don't know if Dallas wants to do another deal with Danny, after the Rondo deal, but...

Contract-wise, Rozier is an RFA after this year.  Smith has this year and next year under contract and then a club option, so 3 years of contract and then he's an RFA.  So, that's really 4 years of control.  Dallas might want Rozier plus a pick for that kind of financial control.

What do you think?


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I would do that trade, Smith has talent and can get better.

cowens/oldschool wrote:I would do that trade, Smith has talent and can get better.

Would TR resign with Dallas so that he can carry Doncic's lunch box?

I do not think so.

TR better play better, right now don’t see him getting big starter money....

I would trade Rozier and hopefully another player and no draft picks for him. I would do it in a heart beat. Smith would be under contract longer and we wouldn't have to worry about resigning Rozier. Do it. I am not much of a Rozier fan anyway.

But, with what Smith showed last year as a rookie, i would guess that Dallas would get a better deal than Rozier and a bottom of the bench player or Rozier and one of the Cs four first round picks.