It’s looks like former Nets G Dennis Smith Jr. has finally found his way back to the NBA. It wasn’t for a lack of trying as Smith tried multiple ways to get a roster spot. The Mavericks could use some guard help in the meantime so good for him. https://t.co/V0SmcFmvA9

— Sharif Phillips-Keaton (@SharifKeaton) September 18, 2025

Former Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Smith Jr. had been looking for a spot in the NBA ever since he spent the 2023-24 season with the Nets. Brooklyn ended up not bringing Smith back and he found himself effectively out of the league, but the good news is that he was able to work his way back into the league with a team that needs guard depth.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday that Smith signed a one-year with the Dallas Mavericks, according to what Smith’s agent told Charania. Smith, the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft out of North Carolina State, began his career with the Mavericks and spent 1.5 seasons with the franchise before being traded to the New York Knicks during the 2018-19 campaign.

Smith, 27, made the 2017-18 All-Rookie team along with receiving the fifth-most votes for the Rookie of the Year award that went to then-Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons. Smith began his career with the kind of production that every player dreams of doing during their rookie year as he averaged 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists, and 1.0 steals per game while shooting 39.5% from the field and 31.3% from three-point land.

From 2019-20 to the 2022-23 season, Smith played for the Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers, and Charlotte Hornets, reinventing himself into a player that was pretty effective defending on the perimeter. When Smith signed with the Nets ahead of the 2023-24 season, he was looking to find his next team that he could potentially spend more than one season with.

Despite being willing to come back to Brooklyn, Smith ended up looking for other opportunities due to the Nets heading in a different direction, but that involved him playing for Real Madrid during the 2024-25 campaign. Smith had tried multiple avenues to show NBA teams that he was ready for his next chance, but now, he can stop looking after getting his deal with Dallas.