Knicks news: Rick Carlisle says New York is a great place for Dennis Smith to blossom

Remember when Dennis Smith, Jr., now with the New York Knicks, was the young player with a prototype physical profile whose...

Remember when Dennis Smith, Jr., now with the New York Knicks, was the young player with a prototype physical profile whose trade from his incumbent team suddenly seemed imminent?

That was only two weeks ago, but probably feels like a lifetime to Smith. He was away from the team when those rumors first surfaced, ostensibly giving Dallas room to find a workable deal for him without risking injury. Smith returned to the team just days later, though, when coach Rick Carlisle reversed course, insisting the high-flying guard was an integral part of the Mavericks' future.

After getting back on the court following his brief exile, the North Carolina State product notched his first career-triple double in a win over the Knicks on Wednesday night, Dallas' third victory in four games.

Less than 24 hours later, Smith was dealt to New York as a headliner in Thursday's earth-shaking trade of Kristaps Porzingis. Life comes at you fast in the NBA, apparently. Just don't take the Mavericks trading Smith as some damning indictment on his NBA future.

“Dennis Smith has had a really terrific year and a half in terms of growth,” Carlisle told reporters after the trade, as relayed by ESPN's Tim MacMahon. “I mean, he tops it off last night with a triple-double. He's a tremendous young player, and New York is such an exciting environment for a guy like him. It'll be a great situation for him.”

Indeed, the bright lights of Madison Square Garden are well-suited for an athlete the caliber of Smith, who the Knicks infamously passed over in favor of Frank Ntilikina in the 2016 draft. Coach David Fizdale is consistently lauded for his ability to develop young players, too.

Is Smith on the fast track to stardom now? Not anymore than he was with Dallas. He still must learn the finer points of pick-and-roll play, further hone his jumper, and continue working to stay engaged defensively. But players with as much natural talent as Smith are exceedingly rare, and New York, as Carlisle says, represents another great opportunity for him to make the most of it.