It looks like Dennis Smith Jr. is simply happy to be given a fresh start with the Detroit Pistons.
Just last week, the New York Knicks traded DSJ and a 2021 second-round to the Pistons for veteran guard Derrick Rose. Given his rather forgettable stint in the Big Apple highlighted by injuries and lack of playing time, Smith seems excited to recapture his old form.
According to Smith, per Marc Berman of the New York Post, he was “smiling all day” after the trade.
Meanwhile, as Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News reported, Smith said that he prepared to suit up for the Pistons by watching the Bad Boys documentary. Bad Boys was the moniker given to the Detroit teams in the '80s led by Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. The game is not as physical now as it was back then, but those Motor City teams are a reminder of the franchise's better or rather best days.
Dennis Smith Jr.'s career has seen better days itself. Coming out of NC State, he was drafted ninth overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 2017. In his rookie year, he averaged 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists. He was an athletic scorer, however, he was a poor shooter. This is evidenced by his 31.3 3-point shooting percentage and 69.4 free-throw shooting percentage. The following year, Dallas drafted Luka Doncic. Smith's numbers went down and he struggled to play alongside a heavy usage player like Luka. He was then traded to the Knicks the following season in the blockbuster Kristaps Porzingis acquisition
Detroit is hoping to revive Smith's career. After all, he is just 23 years old and it is not yet too late for him to fix his game issues. According to Rod Beard of The Detroit News, Pistons head coach Dwayne Casey said that Smith can already play on Thursday against the Indiana Pacers.
Follow Us
Subscribe