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The Dallas Mavericks are keen on making Dennis Smith Jr. the face of the team in the future. Head coach Rick Carlisle is already plotting Smith's path towards that goal.
In an article by ESPN's Tim McMahon, Carlisle expressed his excitement over the prospect of Smith developing into a pillar of the franchise that is in need of a shot in the arm after a number of underwhelming seasons.
“I think that he has amazing ability that needs to be brought along the right way,” Carlisle said. “That's on all of us. That's on Mark [Cuban], on me, on our coaching staff, our training staff, our strength and conditioning staff. You don't just declare a guy a franchise cornerstone player. You help put him in the position to get there. That's going to be our plan.”
Last season, Dallas missed the playoffs for just the second time since 2001, finishing 11th in the eat-or-be-eaten Western Conference with a 33-49 record — the team's worst since the 1998-99 lockout-shortened campaign when the club went 19-31. With a lottery pick in this year's draft, the Mavericks selected Smith ninth overall. A lot of people are saying that the NC State product is a steal at that spot.
Carlisle appears to have no plans of red-shirting Smith in his first year in the pros, planning to insert the rookie in the starting lineup right away.
The Mavs, whose draft room erupted with glee when the New York Knicks selected Frank Ntilikina with the previous pick and left Smith on the board for Dallas, really like their point guard. So much so that Carlisle, without prompting, declared on draft night that he projected Smith as an instant starter and impact player.
With Harrison Barnes in the fold, Nerlens Noel likely to sign a new contract with the Mavericks, and Smith in the picture, Carlisle and the Mavericks are hoping for a brighter future for the team even once Dirk Nowitzki calls it quits.
