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Well, folks, this story isn’t going away. For those who don’t know, Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. is essentially holding out until he’s traded. Check here for the initial story, and keep this post bookmarked and refreshed, as we’ll be updating it regularly with all the latest (credible) Dennis Smith Jr. vs. Dallas news and rumors.
Feel free to discuss in the comments!
UPDATE 1/17 10:00 p.m.: Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Dennis Smith won’t travel with the Mavericks on their upcoming road trip. The Mavs face off against the Pacers on Saturday night in Indiana and against the Bucks in Milwaukee on Monday. MacMahon does indicate the sides have had productive talks, however.
UPDATE 1/17: ESPN’s Tim MacMahon filed a report on the Dennis Smith Jr. situation with team sources confirming the Mavericks want to keep Smith Jr. on the team. MacMahon’s source said “Plan A is still to fix this.”
That source also added Carlisle would “welcome continuing to coach Smith,” dispelling any rumors that Carlisle demanded the Mavericks trade Smith Jr.
MacMahon’s report also indicates the team’s frustration with the young point guard’s decision making as the offense’s initiator.
The Athletic’s Tim Cato tweeted to confirm that the Mavericks wanted to keep Smith Jr. but on only if he plays by their rules.
I can confirm @espn_macmahon's report that Dallas is optimistic Dennis will finish the season for them. but to be clear: they want him back on their own terms, playing the role Carlisle sees fit, and Dennis' camp has been mum on whether he's willing to do that.
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) January 17, 2019
A new tweet from the DMN’s Brad Townsend confirms that Dennis Smith Jr. is the one who asked for a trade.
League and DSJ sources: It's @Dennis1SmithJr agents that are pushing trade issue due to his unhappiness in being shifted to, essentially, 2-guard. Nothing's changed from his or his inner-circle's perspective. Mavs have a Romo-Dak situation, except these guys are 21 and 19.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 17, 2019
This mess of a situation is drawing closer to a messy conclusion. It likely ends in one of two ways: either Dennis accepts the new role the Mavericks designated for him or Dallas bites the bullet and trades Smith Jr. for pennies on the dollar.
Today on the Hoop Collective podcast with Brian Windhorst, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon confirmed what many of us have suspected since Smith first missed practice Tuesday afternoon regarding Dennis Smith Jr.:
Tim MacMahon: (DSJ) has not been banished from the Mavericks. This is not a case of the Mavericks saying, 'hey stay home. we're trying to trade you and we don't want you to get hurt.' This is a case of DSJ deciding 'I'm done here. Let's get a trade going. I don't want to play'."
— BFW (@SportingDFW) January 17, 2019
MacMahon went on to say that Maverick General Manager Donnie Nelson does not want to trade Dennis. If Smith is refusing to play and making that his line in the sand, there’s not much the Mavericks can do other than try to trade him or wait him out.
The Smith situation kicks in at about the 18 minute mark and it’s highly recommended you give the entire discussion a listen.
This entire issue has ripped the band-aid off what’s happened this season in Dallas. Dennis Smith operated with a great deal of freedom and put up numbers on a bad Maverick team only to have Luka Doncic join and be given that same freedom and do just about everything better. We’ve already discussed how we really want Smith to remain a Maverick, but what’s happening in Dallas keeps getting dumber and weirder the more dirty laundry gets aired. Listen to the Hoop Collective podcast and let us know what you think in the podcast below/
I can confirm @espn_macmahon's report that Dallas is optimistic Dennis will finish the season for them. but to be clear: they want him back on their own terms, playing the role Carlisle sees fit, and Dennis' camp has been mum on whether he's willing to do that.
— Tim Cato (@tim_cato) January 17, 2019
League and DSJ sources: It's @Dennis1SmithJr agents that are pushing trade issue due to his unhappiness in being shifted to, essentially, 2-guard. Nothing's changed from his or his inner-circle's perspective. Mavs have a Romo-Dak situation, except these guys are 21 and 19.
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) January 17, 2019