Mavericks handed the ultimate reverse card to reunite with former fan-favorite guard

Dennis Smith Jr. was waived by the Wisconsin Herd over the weekend, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, and the Dallas Mavericks have the perfect chance to bring him back. Smith Jr. is looking to sign elsewhere in the G League, and now the Texas Legends have the perfect chance to pounce on the free agent guard.

He spent the first year and a half of his career with the Mavs before being traded to the New York Knicks in 2019 as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade, and him signing with the Legends would reopen the door to him returning to the Mavericks. Smith Jr. spent the 2025 preseason with the Mavericks before ultimately getting waived, and it would be shocking if the Legends didn't explore signing him.

Texas was trying to get his G League rights after the Mavericks cut him before this season began, but the Herd and Legends never worked out a deal. This forced him to spend the beginning of this season playing for Wisconsin, where he averaged 5.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steals per game.

Dennis Smith Jr.'s return to the NBA could run straight through Texas

This was not the start to the season that Smith Jr. envisioned, as he shot 25 percent from the field in five games for the Herd, but there's no better place for him to revive his career than in Frisco, playing for the Texas Legends.

The Legends do an excellent job of preparing players for the NBA, and Smith Jr. returning to DFW could help him get back to the league and earn a standard contract somewhere. Max Hooper, Legends head coach, has done an excellent job developing his guys in his first season as the head coach, with the most notable being Jeremiah Robinson-Earl.

Robinson-Earl played for the Mavericks during the preseason, but unfortunately didn't make the cut. He remained with the Legends, and he got his chance to get back in the NBA when he signed a 10-day deal with Dallas last week. Smith Jr. could end up being on a similar trajectory if the Legends sign him soon, and Mavs fans would welcome him back with open arms.

Ever since the Mavericks showed interest in Smith Jr. in the summer of 2024, he has been at the top of fans' wish lists. He made a name for himself in Dallas with his explosive athleticism and unreal dunks during the genesis of his career, but eventually got traded to New York due to fit concerns with him and Luka Doncic, among other factors.

Dallas was forced to give up on him quickly, and this fall gave them a preview of what having him back on the roster would look like. He spent training camp and the preseason with the team before getting waived, but fans cherished having him back in the city.

Mavericks fans are some of the most loyal fans in the NBA, and ever since Smith Jr. was traded, they've wanted him back. His playstyle has changed drastically since his first tenure with the team, but his defense-first mindset would be welcomed by Jason Kidd if they were to explore signing him again one day.

This would all begin with him signing with the Legends first, obviously, and him coming back to Texas would open the door for him to play for the Mavericks later this season, or potentially further down the road. Dallas has plenty of uncertainty heading into the trade deadline, and if they were to create a roster spot by trading more players than they bring back, Smith Jr. could definitely end up being a candidate if he were to sign with the Legends beforehand and turn his season around there.