Dallas Mavericks: Should they bring back Dennis Smith Jr. this offseason?

The Dallas Mavericks drafted Dennis Smith Jr. ninth overall in 2017. They missed the playoffs for just the second time since 2001 in the 2016-2017 campaign but were facing a rebuild. Smith Jr. was their starting point guard as a rookie. He averaged over 15 points per game, but the Mavs won just 24 games. In the 2018 draft, Dallas traded up to select Luka Doncic and quickly turned the keys to the offense over to him.

The Mavericks decided to trade Dennis Smith Jr. and two first-round picks to the New York Knicks to acquire Kristaps Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke, and Courtney Lee. Dallas also shipped out Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan in the blockbuster deal in Jan. 2019. Things have not gone as planned for DSJ since the trade.

He struggled to stay on the court and find minutes during his time with the Knicks. They traded him and a second-round pick to the Pistons for Derrick Rose in Feb. 2021. Smith Jr. played under 20 minutes per game during his time in Detroit before becoming an unrestricted free agent this summer. Could a reunion with the Mavs be on the horizon?

Could the Dallas Mavericks bring back Dennis Smith Jr. this offseason?

Smith Jr. made headlines when he told DallasBasketball.com that he would be interested in returning to Dallas. The 23-year-old is still a free agent, but the Mavericks owner Mark Cuban threw some cold water on the reunion by noting his team does not have an open roster spot. The Mavs could free up space by making a trade.

Should the Dallas Mavericks do that to bring back Dennis Smith Jr.? Here is a look at the case for and against before reaching a final verdict.