The Dallas Mavericks have quickly dropped to an 0-2 hole to begin the 2017-18 season.
However, much of the attention has shifted over to the health of rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr., who missed Friday's game against the Sacramento Kings due to knee effusion, which is swelling of the area. According to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning Star, head coach Rick Carlisle revealed that the Mavs first year player had been experiencing those symptoms in training camp that were connected to his ACL tear in high school.
Carlisle says Smith had swelling through parts of training camp, a “symptom of having ACL tear” in HS. Mavs knew of this when drafted him.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 21, 2017
Dennis Smith Jr. had suffered a torn ACL prior to his senior year of high school that forced him to miss the entire season. It has been two years since the injury, which isn't too far removed for him to still be dealing with some swelling from time to time.
What also should be noted is that Smith Jr. plays with an aggressive style on the court that is highly dependent on his athleticism as he was widely regarded as being the most athletic player in this year's draft. This may be something that he will deal with from time to time.
Although the Mavs are not too much concerned with the situation, it's certainly something that the team should keep an eye on moving forward. Dallas has high hopes for Dennis Smith Jr. to be a major part of their future, which further heightens the precaution that the organization is taking with him.
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