The Wisconsin Herd, G-League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, turned heads recently when they claimed Dennis Smith Jr. after he entered the player pool.
The G-League Showcase down in Orlando is underway, giving players hoping to make it to or back into the NBA an opportunity to showcase their skills. Though Smith missed the Herd's first game of the showcase on Thursday, given that he was claimed that day, he is expected to take the court in their game on Saturday.
Where to watch Dennis Smith Jr. and the Wisconsin Herd
Saturday, December 21, the Herd will take on the Mexico City Capitanes at 6:30 p.m. CST. The game will be on ESPN+. The link to sign up can be found here.
Plenty of Milwaukee fans will be keeping an eye on this game while the Bucks are also in action versus the Washington Wizards. Fans across the NBA were baffled when Smith went unsigned in free agency last summer, so getting him on a G-League deal is intriguing. Having just turned 27, he likely still has a good amount of basketball left in the tank; it is now up to him to showcase it.
While Smith is with the Herd currently, it remains to be seen how long he may be with the squad. NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that Smith is currently drawing interest overseas, and he held a workout for stateside teams on Friday. It wouldn't be surprising if someone - NBA or not - picked him up soon if he does impress Saturday night, making this stint potentially short-lived.
The Milwaukee Bucks themselves should be keeping a close eye on the guard, though they cannot sign him at the moment due to a lack of an open roster spot. If they were to free one up, this in-house connection would make Smith one of the most desirable names available.
In addition to Smith, the Herd roster features plenty of other captivating players., including other NBA veterans. Terence Davis has looked good coming off an Achilles injury, while Henry Ellenson has been on a tear lately. Meanwhile, it's always nice to see rookies AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith get some reps under their belt in live-game situations.
It'll be interesting to see what Dennis Smith Jr. does in his first action in months as the Herd aim to rebound from a loss Thursday.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.