Former Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. is attempting an NBA comeback. Smith Jr. worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers during a two-day veteran minicamp this week, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The seven-year NBA veteran is also scheduled to work out for his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, according to multiple reports.
Smith Jr. has been showcasing himself to NBA front offices throughout this season. Several teams attended a pro day he held in Orlando during the G League Showcase in December. He signed with the Wisconsin Herd ahead of the showcase, but never appeared in a game.
The 27-year-old then signed with Real Madrid in January, appearing in four games before parting ways with the team one month later.
Former Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. working out for 76ers, Mavericks
The Mavericks selected Smith Jr. ninth overall in 2017, only to trade him to the New York Knicks after two seasons. He played for two years with the Knicks before they traded him to the Detroit Pistons. He then signed with the Portland Trail Blazers ahead of the 2021-22 season.
Smith Jr. played one season with Portland before signing with the Charlotte Hornets, where he reinvented himself as one of the NBA’s better backcourt defenders. His last contract was a minimum deal with the Nets for the 2023-24 season.
Smith Jr. saw a consistent role with Brooklyn’s second unit, averaging 6.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game on 43.5 percent shooting over 56 appearances. He was a resounding positive defensively, ranking first among all point guards in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus, per DunksAndThrees.com. However, his shortcomings as a floor spacer continued to limit his role, as he shot 29.4 percent from three on 1.9 attempts per game.
While Smith Jr.’s days as a full-time member of an NBA rotation appear to be in the rearview, he could be an intriguing depth piece for a team seeking a high-level point-of-attack defender on its bench.
The former lottery pick isn’t the first recent Nets guard to attempt an NBA comeback. Lonnie Walker IV signed with the 76ers midway through this season after spending the first half of the year overseas. He made 20 appearances with Philadelphia, averaging 12.4 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists on 42/35/80 shooting splits in 23.9 minutes per game.
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