FA: DSJ Returns Home to Dallas and Signs 1yr/deal

[SleepingHero]

Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
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.

[SleepingHero]

Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42)
Roster spot 15 likely comes down to Smith Jr. and Brandon Williams.

The salary protection for Williams increases from $200K to $850K if he is on the roster for the Mavericks first game (1159pm ET.)

[SleepingHero]

Uh what????

This is crazy out of left field. I know the Knicks were interested in a DSJ return but I didn't see any rumblings about him and Dallas at all this entire summer.

[Chicagojk]

Uh what????

This is crazy out of left field. I know the Knicks were interested in a DSJ return but I didn't see any rumblings about him and Dallas at all this entire summer.

He came to that fa veteran camp the mavs had this summer.  I thought there wasn’t much there though.  I like the competition angle but it would appear he would be a long shot.  It should be a fun battle to watch though.

Williams proved last year to be good on offense.  smith is a better defender.   Could playmaking be the deciding factor?

[Chicagojk]

I wonder if Dallas had a standing offer for a camp invite for awhile? DSJ may have been waiting for a better offer. Knicks decided to sign Brogdan and another player so that dried up. Probably a camp invite was his best option.

[OBX Maverick]

Heck, let’s see what he’s got…. He’s been wanting to come back to Dallas for years..

[KillerLeft]

Man, they are really leaning in on “defense wins championships” if DSJ takes Williams’ spot. I don’t expect that to happen, however.

[Mavs2021]

Man, they are really leaning in on “defense wins championships” if DSJ takes Williams’ spot. I don’t expect that to happen, however.

I always felt DSJ was a good passer, except for lobs. It´s just that passing gets hard, when you can´t shoot. He was like a poor Rondo. 

Also hilarious that Vlade Divac was right about Doncic´s dad baggage, Trae Young outlasted Luka at the franchise that drafted them and now DSJ is a Maverick longer than Luka, too.

[omahen]

I always felt DSJ was a good passer, except for lobs. It´s just that passing gets hard, when you can´t shoot. He was like a poor Rondo. 

Also hilarious that Vlade Divac was right about Doncic´s dad baggage, Trae Young outlasted Luka at the franchise that drafted them and now DSJ is a Maverick longer than Luka, too.

Yeah, Divac was so right... Luka with all his alleged baggage took Mavs to NBA finals. An achievement that happened only 3 times in 45 years of Mavs history and was surpassed only once. Even Western finals happened only 6 times in Mavs history and Luka owns 2 of those. At age of 25. Nowitzky was 28 when they made finals for the first time. I am also sure that Hawks fans are really jumping of joy that they opted for Trae and Reddick instead of Luka. Btw, it doesn't look like Hawks are enthusiastic to extend Trae.

Mavs and Luka are finished, but this lack of respect is not fair!

[Mavs2021]

Yeah, Divac was so right... Luka with all his alleged baggage took Mavs to NBA finals. An achievement that happened only 3 times in 45 years of Mavs history and was surpassed only once. Even Western finals happened only 6 times in Mavs history and Luka owns 2 of those. At age of 25. Nowitzky was 28 when they made finals for the first time. I am also sure that Hawks fans are really jumping of joy that they opted for Trae and Reddick instead of Luka. Btw, it doesn't look like Hawks are enthusiastic to extend Trae.

Mavs and Luka are finished, but this lack of respect is not fair!

Chill my man. I never said Divac was right to not draft Luka. I just said his assessment/concerns about his dad were proven accurate.

[SleepingHero]

Chill my man. I never said Divac was right to not draft Luka. I just said his assessment/concerns about his dad were proven accurate.

But were they? 

Luka's dad did literally nothing while Luka was here. Luka never had any drama while he was here. The only criticisms anyone ever had was Luka's commitment to come into the season in shape and remain in shape during the regular season.

That is a whole other debate. 

All I know is I miss Luka and this DSJ signing has me hopeful that after this Lakers deal Luka comes back to his rightful NBA home.

[RasheedsBigWhiteSpot]

I think another angle is that SOMEONE, most likely AD, is gonna start the season on IR. And if you're going to carry an extra man on this team it would be in the backcourt.

[F Gump]

I think another angle is that SOMEONE, most likely AD, is gonna start the season on IR.  And if you're going to carry an extra man on this team it would be in the backcourt.

In the NBA, there is no such thing as IR, like the NFL has. You only get 15, healthy or not. I don't see any way that the health of AD stands to have any bearing on DSJ making the team. 

I expect it will come down to competition in camp, and either he or BW will get the final guard slot, since neither has a guarantee of any significance. They play the same position. Who can be more valuable?

[Chicagojk]

I am glad DSJ is back.  I have no real expectations of him making the team or if he does really being a heavy minute player, but still I am glad he is getting another shot.  He really hasn't played much in over a year.

He was the player I wanted in that draft pick in the Mavs pick range.   For me he lost luster when we drafted Luka and I thought his played really plateued or regressed.   He bounced around a bit after that.  I thought he did pretty well in Charlotte and thought he re-found a footing as a bench player.  I thought he would do well in Brooklyn, but he didn't.   Then he was gone.    He still is young and should have a much better appreciation of what he is and can be now.    

I think him and BWill are the clear competition, but I also wonder if Dwight and maybe Hardy should be considered as well.  There doesn't appear to be any interest in Hardy, but who knows.

[Chicagojk]

Saw this from Stein:

Smith, though, needs a monster training camp to force his way onto Dallas' roster. He'll likely be on a Exhibit 9 deal like Malcolm Brogdon with New York ... but on a team with no room.
Among Dallas' motivations for signing Smith, sources say, was securing his G League rights.


The Mavericks went to significant lengths (releasing former first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper) just to create the room to re-sign Dante Exum.

Signing Smith now makes him eligible to play for the Texas Legends if he can't crack the Mavericks' Opening Night 15-man roster.

[F Gump]

Signing Smith now makes him eligible to play for the Texas Legends if he can't crack the Mavericks' Opening Night 15-man roster.

I don't know if this is your comment, or Stein's, but it looks off-base in a couple of ways:
(1) An Exhibit 9 has nothing to do with a GL contract or team -- it's basically an amendment to the basic contract that's about money. It says that if the player gets injured in camp, there's no financial (cap) obligation to the team. Normally the team would be on the hook for the contract until the player was healthy again. 
(2) With an E9, or without, DSJ always could have signed with the Legends, if both parties were interested, and that is still true. But E9 doesn't have anything to do with the GL. 
(3) There is a different possible amendment called an Exhibit 10 which does have connections to the GL. It would not confer "eligibility" to sign with the Legends, or permission, or stuff like that. Instead it offers a bonus if, after being waived in camp, the player then turns around right away and signs a GL contract with that team's GL affiliate and plays with them for at least 60 days.

A contract can have both E 9 and E 10 amendments. Or one. Or the other. But they cover different issues.

I have heard DSJ deal is an E 9. I have heard no mention of an E 10.