There's no telling who will be manning the backcourt duties for the Milwaukee Bucks next season as Damian Lillard rehabs from his Achilles injury. In Milwaukee's quest to beef up their depleted depth at the guard spot, perhaps they could take a closer look at Dennis Smith Jr., who was supposed to suit up for their G League squad, the Wisconsin Herd, last season but never did.
Dennis Smith Jr. might be worth a look for the Bucks
The Herd claimed Smith, the ninth pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, last December. The news was exciting for Milwaukee Bucks fans who thought the team could evaluate the point guard and potentially bring him up to the next level if he impressed. However, Smith didn't play one game for the Herd, reportedly due to him preferring to land with another G League squad.
Now, with the Bucks needing guard depth and Smith eyeing an NBA comeback (Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Smith is working out for the 76ers), perhaps Milwaukee could look at bringing in the guard. Smith is still just 27 years old and could very well still have plenty left in the tank, especially if he's motivated after missing all of last season.
The allure with Smith comes from his athleticism and defensive tenacity. When he played, Smith was always known for his rim-rocking dunks, putting together many highlight reels. He quickly developed into a quality defender as well, hounding opposing ball-handlers and generating steals to create more opportunities, averaging 1.2 takeaways for his career.
Smith would fit in well with the Milwaukee Bucks, giving them a pesky guard in the place of either Ryan Rollins or Kevin Porter Jr. if either were to depart in free agency. Furthermore, given that he's on the comeback trail, Smith wouldn't cost the team too much. If he's willing to take a prove-it deal to show that he belongs, this would be as low-risk as it gets.
The two downsides with Smith are his height and perimeter shooting. At 6-foot-2, Smith is a smaller point guard, which can be problematic in today's NBA. He's also a career 29.8 percent shooter from long range, which certainly doesn't bode well next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, though thinking of these two athletic freaks in transition is certainly a fun exercise.
Still, despite those flaws, he could be worth a look.
This writer would pitch that Smith could start down with the Wisconsin Herd if no other team were to sign him, but based on last season's events, that seems pretty unlikely.
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