Dallas Mavericks rumors: Trade talks escalating to move Dennis Smith Jr.

The Dallas Mavericks are reportedly escalating discussions to find a deal and a trade partner for second-year point guard, Dennis Smith Jr. Rumors started a few weeks ago that the Mavs would be entertaining deals, but this one sounds more serious.

The ever-trustworthy Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has reported that the Dallas Mavericks are “escalating discussions” to move Dennis Smith Jr. Dennis is currently in his 2nd year in the league and with the Mavs. Although his fit with the new face of the franchise, Luka Doncic, has been questionable this year, DSJ still represents a young, very talented point guard with a high ceiling.

The Mavs are fully committed to Luka being the centerpiece for this team for years to come, and for good reason. Luka is not only the most talented player on the roster, he is arguably one of the most talented players in the NBA. His skillset fits the point forward role well, but without a guard next to him that can spread the floor, his talents are underutilized.

This is where the big issue starts between keeping DSJ and letting him go. He is likely never going to be an elite sharpshooter in this league. That doesn’t mean he won’t be serviceable, but the Mavs need more than that from the position Dennis is playing.

There is also the issue of Dennis being a natural point guard and a very capable creator for himself and others. Just as it doesn’t work seamlessly for Luka, it doesn’t for Dennis either. As of today, the Mavs are right to see that these two are not the best pairing on the court at any given time.

However, I believe the Mavericks are very shortsighted in this push to move Dennis Smith. Dennis and Luka may not be jiving right now, but that does not mean it could never happen. Luka may represent the present and future face of this organization, but Dennis is a player that is not receiving the proper respect he deserves. He could very easily be a key piece to a top notch team in the future.

As of now, the teams who have been mentioned to be in talks with Dallas are the Phoenix Suns and the Orlando Magic. These are very interesting teams to be talking trades with, but for now we have to trust that the front office has what’s best for the team now and going forward in mind.

These reports of a trade have come from trustworthy sources away from the organization and should be viewed as true. Don’t expect anyone in the Mavs organization to confirm or deny these rumors until a deal is in place.