Dallas Mavericks: 3 reasons trading Dennis Smith Jr. would be a mistake

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Reason 1: Potential

The Dallas Mavericks knew Dennis Smith Jr. was a raw point guard when they drafted him a year and a half ago. To expect the 21-year-old to blossom into a star in that time period is unreasonable. DSJ has played only 98 career NBA games. His potential is what should keep him in Dallas, though.

Fans can see it when Smith Jr. uses his speed to blow past even the NBA’s best defenders or when he is rocking the rim with one of his monster dunks. It goes beyond the eye test, though.

Comparing the stats

DSJ’s numbers also compare favorably to three All-Star point guards when looking at their rookie years. Last season, Smith Jr. produced 15.2 points, 5.2 assists, 3.8 rebounds, 1.5 3-pointers made, and 1.0 steal in 29.7 minutes per game while shooting 39.5 percent from the field, 31.3 percent on his 3-pointers, and 69.4 percent on his free throws.

John Wall as a 20-year-old rookie played 37.8 minutes per game but also shot the ball poorly. He made 40.9 percent of his field goals, only hit on 29.6 percent of his 3-pointers, and shot 76.6 percent from the foul line. DSJ also finished with better per-36 points, rebounds, and 3-pointers made numbers.

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Kemba Walker struggled in his 27.2 minutes per game as a 21-year-old rookie. He averaged 12.1 points, 4.4 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 3-pointer, and 0.9 steals. Walker shot 36.6 percent from the field, 30.5 percent on threes, and 78.9 percent from the foul line.

Lastly, Russell Westbrook and DSJ had a similar stat line when comparing both their 20-year-old rookie seasons. Westbrook played more (32.5 minutes per game) and averaged 15.3 points, 5.3 assists, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and just 0.4 3-pointers. The Thunder point guard shot 39.8 percent from the field and hit just 27.1 percent of his 3-pointers.

The main point is that DSJ still has massive potential. It is the type that makes a team regret trading away that player a few years down the line. Think the Thunder with James Harden.