Dennis Smith Jr. – Portland Trail Blazers
Drafted 9th overall in 2017, Dennis Smith Jr. was expected to be a very athletic and versatile scorer at the point guard position in the NBA, but his career has not gone the way many had thought.
Through his first two seasons in the league with the Dallas Mavericks and New York Knicks, Smith Jr. put up some substantial numbers, averaging 14.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.1 steals. Still, his perimeter shooting became a major liability, and injuries began to cause the young guard to get buried on his team’s depth charts.
Dennis Smith Jr. played well in New York during the 2018-19 season, but then during the 2019-20 season, he was virtually non-existent and was traded to the Detroit Pistons last season after playing in just three games with the Knicks.
In Detroit, Smith Jr. was decent, averaging 7.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 20 games, but after drafting Cade Cuningham, the Pistons no longer needed him. Now, the 23-years-old point guard will look to continue his NBA playing career with the Portland Trail Blazers, as he agreed to a training camp deal with them.
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Portland still has two open roster spots. With Anfernee Simons being the only backcourt option behind Damian Lillard, Dennis Smith Jr. has a good shot at remaining with the Portland Trail Blazers if he can perform well in training camp.
Athleticism-wise, Smith Jr. should check all the boxes for Portland, but the two biggest questions surrounding him are his health and willingness to take a lesser role.
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If Dennis Smith Jr. does not get hurt and he is willing to play a reserve role off the bench for the Portland Trail Blazers, there is no reason why he cannot be on their opening night roster. They need another point guard for depth purposes, and Smith Jr. is the best young point guard available right now, which is why this fit makes perfect sense.
