Second-year point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and his representation haven't requested a trade from the Dallas Mavericks, but Smith Jr. is open to one, according to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.
With the Mavs playing rookie phenom Luka Doncic at the point guard position, Smith Jr. has been playing off-the-ball a lot more this season and it's not a role he has been comfortable with.
Smith Jr. and his relationship with Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle has also been a rocky one.
Source close to @Dennis1SmithJr confirms that neither Smith, nor his agent, requested a trade, but are open to one. "He likes the organization and he likes the players. I just don’t think it was probably a good [basketball] fit."
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 16, 2019
The Mavs drafted Smith Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The consensus around the league was that Smith Jr. would be the franchise point guard in Dallas for years to come. The explosive guard from North Carolina made the All-Rookie team and was poised to take the next step this year.
However, Doncic has burst onto the scene and is clearly more efficient and effective with the ball in his hands. Doncic's stellar play has made Smith Jr. expendable.
Smith Jr. has appeared in 28 games this year for the Mavs. He is averaging 12.6 points, 2.6 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 44.3 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from beyond the arc and 68.1 percent from the free-throw line.
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