Former Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. is hoping to make his way back to the NBA.
Smith Jr. signed with Real Madrid in January. According to independent reporter Chris Haynes, Smith has already decided to part ways with the Spanish team with an eye toward the NBA.
Smith reportedly had a difficult time adapting to the European game. While Real Madrid was said to be satisfied with Smith’s effort and attitude, the 27-year-old was not in the proper physical shape to contribute to one of Europe’s best squads midseason. He had not played professionally for almost a year when he signed with Los Blancos.
The 6’2″ point guard played in two EuroLeague games for Madrid, scoring a combined eight points on 3/6 shooting. Smith was later left off the active roster for Real Madrid’s recent Spanish Copa del Rey tournament run despite having a clean bill of health.
The Mavericks drafted Smith 9th overall in 2017. The explosive guard was initially viewed as a potential core piece with Dallas entering the twilight years of Dirk Nowitzki’s career. The following year marked the arrival of former Real Madrid star Luka Doncic. Smith’s questionable fit with Doncic pushed the team to include the former in the deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas.
After stints with the Mavericks and Knicks, Smith bounced around from team to team without finding a permanent home. He last played for the Brooklyn Nets in the 2023-24 season, averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 56 games played.
