By all accounts, it appears Dennis Smith Jr.'s time with the Dallas Mavericks is going to be coming to an end soon. However, Mavs owner Mark Cuban doesn't have anything bad to say about the explosive guard and even says the second-year player is very mature for his age.
Over the past two days, multiple reports have come out stating Dennis Smith Jr. and the Mavs are looking to part ways. Dallas rookie Luka Doncic has been better than advertised and the team is playing the 19-year-old at the point guard spot, the same position as Smith Jr.
As a result, Smith Jr. has been playing off the ball this season, a role he's not really comfortable with. Add to the fact that Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle and Smith Jr. haven't been on the same page this year, and it's not a surprise why the North Carolina native wouldn't mind playing for a new team.
Mark Cuban says Smith Jr. is a very smart kid and that he “understands the bigger picture,” possibly implying Smith Jr. knows with Doncic's emergence, his time in Dallas is nearing its conclusion.
“One thing I like about Dennis: When Dennis was in the draft, people didn't think he was mature,” Cuban told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “They talked about his body language. Dennis is incredibly mature. Dennis is smart. Dennis understands the bigger picture.
“It's not like you say, ‘Aw, well, he just turned 21. He's a young kid. He's going to be volatile.' Not at all. I love sitting down talking to Dennis. He's the type of kid you can sit down [with] and have a smart conversation.”
Smith Jr. won't play on Wednesday against the San Antonio Spurs, and there's a chance he has played his last game for the Mavs. However, it appears Smith Jr. and Cuban are still on good terms. The same can't be said for Smith Jr.'s relationship with Carlisle, though.
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