Dennis Smith Jr.'s stunning Mavericks arrival could force a controversial move

For many fans, seeing Dennis Smith Jr. back in a Dallas Mavericks uniform may be a dream come true after signing a one-year training camp contract with the team. While Smith Jr. joining the Mavericks on a prove-it deal throughout the preseason is a good move, assuming he plays better than expected, the Mavericks may be forced to cut ties with an emerging fan-favorite guard, Brandon Williams, if they want to keep Smith Jr. around on the regular-season roster.

Two seasons ago, Williams was brought into the Mavericks organization on a two-way contract before working his way up in the rotation and taking advantage of more minutes on the floor due to injuries last season. Williams didn't just emerge as a stopgap guard when Kyrie Irving went down with an injury, but he quite literally flourished into one of the best backup guards in the entire league within a matter of months.

In March alone, Williams would average 16.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 3.4 rebounds per game as he filled in for an injured Irving. Williams would continue his success into the play-in games, where he would pop off for a 17-point game against the Sacramento Kings to advance to the final round of the play-in tournament; however, his spot on the team may be in jeopardy after the team signed Smith Jr.

Williams' spot in Dallas may not be as guaranteed as fans once thought

The Mavericks are in desperate need of defense at the point of attack, and Smith Jr., during his time in the league, has been known as one of the best guard defenders in the entire NBA. While Smith Jr. has been a great defender throughout his career, what has held him back has been his shooting and inability to stay consistent on the offensive end. In his last season in the NBA with the Brooklyn Nets, Smith Jr. shot the three-ball at 29.4 percent, which was a large reason he found himself overseas last year.

Smith Jr. no doubt has an outside shot of making the Mavericks' 15-man roster, but considering he is all but locked up to be within Dallas' organization for the near future, his arrival was to send a message to Williams and other guards on the roster that their role may not be secure.

For Williams, he unfortunately could be the odd man out as he is the only player in Dallas' active 15-man roster that isn't on a guaranteed contract. After signing with the Mavericks last season to stay on their playoff roster, the Mavericks couldn't guarantee Williams' contract for the next season, which has put him in a scary position ahead of training camp.

Williams has, without a doubt, emerged as one of Dallas' best options off the bench, but if the Mavericks want to avoid any financial restrictions to sign Smith Jr., Williams' name would likely be the first one off the board.

Heading into training camp, Williams was going to be one of the few names that were going to be under a microscope for fans, as he was finally getting his first shot at making a real impact on a roster. Assuming Williams comes out of the gates slow and Smith Jr. looks like a different player after spending time with Real Madrid, Williams could very likely find himself without a roster spot ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.

Although this may sound like a double-edged sword for some fans, Williams should still be in store for a career season. With Smith Jr. now on the training camp roster, it has sent a message that the Mavericks need him to be even better than he already is, which may be a wake-up call for the 25-year-old.