Infamous draft bust hosting showcase for NBA teams
Jan 8, 2020; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; New York Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. (5) warms up prior to a game against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russell Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
One of the NBA’s bigger busts of the last half-decade may be getting his redemption song.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo! Sports reported on Sunday that former lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. will hold a private workout in Las Vegas this week in front of approximately ten NBA teams.
Smith, 24, remains unsigned after spending last year with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was the No. 7 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2017 NBA Draft, going ahead of future All-Stars such as Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, and Jarrett Allen. While Smith was decent enough in his rookie season as a 15-point, five-assist guy, he got progressively worse from there. Dallas traded him to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade in 2019. Smith then landed with Detroit before going to Portland is now looking for his fifth team in as many years.
In fairness to Smith, he has been felled by a litany of injuries, most recently a partial tear of the UCL in his shooting elbow last season. The former NC State star still has some impressive physical gifts, which may explain the continued interest in him at the NBA level.
