Dallas Mavericks Trade Rumors: Dennis Smith Jr Morning Update
By Reid Hanson
What’s the latest on Dennis Smith Jr and the trade speculation revolving around the Dallas Mavericks this morning…
Trade talk revolving around the Dallas Mavericks and Dennis Smith Jr is dominating the rumor mill right now. While talk of this nature is nothing new (speculation arose the day Luka Doncic was drafted), the legitimacy and urgency has hit an all-time high.
Two weeks ago Marc Stein mentioned Dennis Smith Jr as a player many outside NBA GMs were watching closely before the deadline and the Mavs may be interested in moving him. The report sparked an uproar around Dallas since DSJ was still considered an ascending talent with tremendous upside. Giving up on him now after only playing roughly two dozen games alongside Doncic seemed impatient and impulsive.
Right when the outrage started to subside, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news the Dallas Mavericks are indeed exploring trade options with DSJ and two teams, the Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic, have been the primary teams involved (although the Suns have denied such claims).
The Dallas Mavericks are escalating discussions to find a trade for point guard Dennis Smith Jr., league sources tell ESPN. Phoenix and Orlando have engaged in ongoing talks with Mavs. Smith Jr., has sat out three straight games with what team has termed a sore back.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 15, 2019
This news coincided perfectly with DSJ’s three game absence stemming from a sudden(ly suspicious) back injury. Now all the dominoes were falling into place and the trade rumors that barely produced smoke now contained a full-on fire.
Which brings us to where we are today: A curiously timed illness now threatens to keep Dennis Smith Jr. off the court today, adding to the urgency of the situation and fanning the flames of speculation.
It’s no wonder the biggest name on the trade market is the talk of the NBA right now, but it’s important to handle reports with a grain of salt given how close to the vest Mark Cuban and the Mavs typically play something like this. It’s also important to point out how lucrative unsubstantiated rumors can be as click-bait, and how nearly every fanbase is diving into the DSJ lottery (so-to-speak).
Orlando makes legitimate sense and since it was specifically cited by Woj (and not overtly denied like Phoenix did), it’s the most likely scenario. Rich in the frontcourt and poor at guard, Orlando would be the optimal trade partner.
More from Dallas Mavericks
- The Dallas Mavericks accomplished a lot on Draft Day
- Mavericks pairing Luka Doncic and Draymond Green a technical (foul) disaster
- Can the Mavericks steal Deandre Ayton from cap-strapped Suns?
- Dallas Mavericks: Top-5 options for the Mavs to explore in the NBA Draft
- Dallas Mavericks can’t keep pick No. 10 in the NBA Draft
With Aaron Gordon, Mohamad Bamba, and Jonathan Isaac, the Orlando Magic is loaded with young tradeable talent. If Gordon is the return piece, the Dallas Mavericks would need to include Wesley Matthews in order to make the money work.
The latter two players are still in their first and second seasons (respectively) and would be a fairly clean swap.
With DSJ the hottest name on the market, it’s likely additional teams have stepped up to kick the tires looking for a bargain. But at this point, very little has been confirmed and very little can be trusted to be anything other than fantasy.
Next. Can Luka's popularity lead to free agent success?. dark
What’s clear is that Dennis Smith Jr appears to be on the trade market and his absence from the court is expediting the situation. Who or what will become of this is still unknown and other than the Magic, there are no true frontrunners and no true bidding war meaning this could drag on longer than anyone wants it to.
- Published on 01/16/2019 at 13:13 PM
- Last updated at 01/16/2019 at 13:13 PM