NBA
Dennis Smith Jr. will compete for a roster spot in Dallas this training camp
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated1 hour ago on September 19, 2025
On September 30, the Dallas Mavericks will officially begin training camp. Currently, Dallas has 14 of 15 active roster spots filled. This offseason, the team signed Dante Exum to a one-year, $2.3 million deal.
Recently, NBA insider Shams Charania reported that the Mavericks were not done making moves this offseason. He shared that Dallas is bringing back former first-round pick Dennis Smith Jr. The 27-year-old signed a one-year, non-guaranteed training camp deal. Smith Jr. will have to compete this offseason to earn a full-time roster spot for the 2025-26 season.
How many games will Dennis Smith Jr. play for Dallas in 2025-26?
Dennis Smith Jr., Mavs Agree To One-Year Deal https://t.co/Gp4u0iySGy
— RealGM (@RealGM) September 19, 2025
After one season away from the NBA, former lottery pick Dennis Smith Jr. is attempting to make his return. Smith Jr. last played for the Brooklyn Nets during the 2023-24 season. He appeared in 56 games and made two starts, averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. According to ESPN, Smith Jr. ranked second in steals per 36 minutes among NBA players who played 1,000 minutes in 2023-24. Dennis Smith Jr. did not sign a contract with an NBA team ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Instead, he signed with Real Madrid in the EuroLeague. Back in 2017, Smith Jr. was the ninth overall pick by the Mavericks. Dallas selected Dennis Smith Jr. out of NC State. The first two and a half seasons of his career were spent with the Mavericks. That was until the team traded Smith Jr. to the Knicks at the 2018-19 deadline. Over seven professional seasons, Dennis Smith Jr. has played for six different franchises.
Guard Dennis Smith Jr. has agreed to a one-year deal to return to the Dallas Mavericks, agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management tells ESPN. Smith reunites with the franchise that drafted him No. 9 overall in 2017 and now he’ll compete in training camp in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/1KseWO0bPM
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 18, 2025
While his longest tenure was three seasons with the Knicks, Smith Jr. has played the most for the Mavericks. He started all 101 games he appeared in over his first two seasons. His 15.2 points per game as a rookie are still his career-high. This offseason, the Mavericks are giving their former top-10 pick an opportunity to get back in the league. Dennis Smith Jr. has signed a one-year, non-guaranteed training camp deal.
By signing Dante Exum, the Mavericks have a full roster ahead of training camp. However, that doesn’t mean Smith Jr. cannot outwork someone and earn a contract for the 2025-26 season. Kyrie Irving, D’Angelo Russell, Jaden Hardy, Dante Exum, and Brandon Williams are members of the Mavericks’ backcourt. It’s worth noting that Williams is on a partially guarenteed contract. Will Dennis Smith Jr. be able to do enough this offseason to earn a full-time roster spot in Dallas?
