Dennis Smith Jr (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
Dennis Smith Jr. has made a strong impression in his return to the Dallas Mavericks, blending veteran presence with defensive intensity and adaptability. After completing a week of training camp in Vancouver, Smith said the experience reaffirmed his belief in the team’s offensive vision and talent level.
Smith said the connection with Dallas began before training camp, when he participated in a mini-camp and met with team personnel.
“I did a mini-camp out here in Dallas and that went well,” Smith told RG. “I had a good talk with the people in high places in the organization, and there was mutual interest then. They had some things to work out with the roster, and thankfully I was able to end up here. So I just appreciate the opportunity.”
After spending time away from NBA action last year, Smith devoted his offseason to refining footwork and balance to stay consistent on drives and jumpers.
“This last year, I had a lot of time to myself, so I did a lot of footwork drills — different kinds of footwork just to keep myself on balance,” Smith said. “It’s a rhythm thing too. The footwork, the balance, the power going into shooting or exploding to get by people — I’ve been trying to be more dynamic but more balanced with it, and more consistent with the same motions.”
That individual focus carried into camp, where Smith’s attention to detail has been evident through the Mavericks’ fast-paced sessions.
Defensive Edge And Energy
Jason Kidd praised Smith’s defensive energy and effort throughout camp, beginning with his standout showing on Day 1. During the opening scrimmage sessions in Vancouver, Smith was a constant presence, pressuring ball handlers, jumping passing lanes, and bringing the kind of competitiveness Kidd said the staff wants to define the team.
“Dennis was great. He was another guy that stood out in Day 1,” Kidd said. “His energy — we all know his abilities, super athletic — but I thought he was really good with the white team today.”
It set the tone early for a player determined to make his impact felt through effort and communication.
Smith said that intensity comes naturally and isn’t something he needs to manufacture. For him, it’s a standard — not a switch that flips when the lights come on. He’s leaned on that defensive energy throughout camp, often drawing assignments against the Mavericks’ top scorers during scrimmages. Whether picking up full court or disrupting passing lanes, Smith has treated each possession like it counts.
“That’s what I usually do,” Smith told RG. “It’s not like I wanted people to believe I do this — I’m just coming out to be the best version of myself. People being impressed by it is a byproduct, and I’m thankful for it. But I’ve got to come out and put my best foot forward every day. If that happens to be what the team needs, that makes it even better — and it is. So I’m in a good spot.”
That intensity mirrors the tone being set across the roster. Anthony Davis said Dallas’ length and athleticism give the team the tools to build one of the NBA’s most imposing defenses.
“We’re a very athletic team. We’ve got a bunch of tall guys,” Davis said. “If we’re able to play defense with intensity, no one should be able to score in our paint. Even our guards are big. We’ve got a lot of size. If we’re able to play with our hands out, get deflections, be active, talk, we’ll be a great team defensively.”
Dereck Lively II echoed that confidence, emphasizing communication and collective effort as the foundation of what could become an elite defensive unit.
“We can be the best. Straight up,” Lively said. “It’s going to take communication and effort every night, but when you look at the length, the athleticism, and the mindset of the guys here, there’s no reason we can’t be dominant defensively.”
After several days of competition in Vancouver, Smith said he’s eager to see the habits built during camp translate into live game action. The Mavericks spent much of their time at Simon Fraser University emphasizing pace, spacing, and defensive communication through extended scrimmages and drills.
“It’s been high-level competition,” he said. “Guys are getting after it, competing against one another. They say it in football all the time — now you get to go hit somebody else. That’s the exciting part. I’m looking forward to the carryover from how we were competing in Vancouver into preseason.”
For Smith and the Mavericks, the foundation of their season starts with turning that practice intensity into consistent stops — a goal everyone in the locker room has embraced.
Offense Forming Around Anthony Davis
Smith said the Dallas offense under new assistant coach Jay Triano feels logical and well-structured, built around the team’s stars — particularly Davis. He said the approach has been easy to buy into because it defines who the Mavericks want to play through and gives everyone else clear reads.
“I like how the offense is set up — everything makes sense,” Smith stated. “We’ve got our guys that we want to play through, and that’s the game plan. That’s logical to me. I appreciate that approach. And just being on a team this talented — I’ve never been on a team with this level of player.”
Triano, who joined the Mavericks this summer after helping the Sacramento Kings construct one of the NBA’s most efficient offenses around Domantas Sabonis, has installed a similar structure emphasizing handoffs, cutting, and quick decision-making. The focus: play through Davis in space and let the offense flow from his reads.
“AD’s one of the greatest fours of all time, so the fact that we decided we’re going to play through him — I think it just makes it easy on the rest of the guys,” Smith told RG. “We’re not trying to overcomplicate things. We want to play through AD, and we all trust him to make the right decisions. It’s just simplifying the game for everybody on the court.”
For Davis, that structure plays directly to his strengths.
“Ball movement. Getting to our spots and creating lanes for our guys,” Davis said. “We have a lot of guys who love basketball and can playmake. So the emphasis has been getting to our spots on the floor, opening up lanes for everyone, and then attacking the basket. … With Jay Triano coming over and kind of how they used Sabonis as the hub, kind of the same thing. And guys just playing off of that.”
Davis said he embraces the challenge of serving as both a scorer and a facilitator, operating from the elbows to initiate offense and allow cutters and shooters to find rhythm. For players like Smith, that setup allows them to read, react, and attack within a structure that rewards instincts and trust.
Impressions of Cooper Flagg And Miles Kelly
Smith also praised rookie forward Cooper Flagg’s approach and basketball instincts after spending the week alongside him in drills and scrimmages.
“He’s super competitive and has a high IQ for the game,” Smith told RG. “He doesn’t necessarily know all the former players or anything like that, but he knows how to play. He plays the right way, he competes hard, and he doesn’t feel like he has to force things. He lets the game come to him but still has an impact — and that’s not easy for a lot of people to do.”
Another player who earned Smith’s attention was two-way guard Miles Kelly, whose shooting has been a revelation through camp.
“Miles Kelly’s got an absolute burner,” Smith told RG. “He’s been shooting the cover off the ball all camp. The first day we played pickup before camp, I was guarding him — I sagged back a little bit and he just rose up from deep after missing one. Super confident guy, really good shooter. He knows how to play and competes on both ends. Over camp, I became a fan of Miles Kelly.”
For Smith, those kinds of performances highlight the depth and competition shaping the Mavericks’ early identity — one that’s already fueling confidence heading into preseason play.