The Wisconsin Herd, G League affiliate of the Milwaukee Bucks, are hopeful that Dennis Smith Jr. will join them soon, per NBA insider Marc Stein. If Smith does make his way to Wisconsin, he will be the second well-known player on the comeback trail to join the Herd recently, with the team also bringing in two-time NBA All-Star Victor Oladipo.
Herd set to add another recognizable face
In recent weeks, Stein had reported that the Mavericks' G League squad had been trying to acquire Smith's rights. Given Smith's past with the Herd, it felt inevitable that the two sides would come to some sort of agreement to send him over. However, with those talks seemingly going nowhere, the 27-year-old guard will look to stage his comeback in Wisconsin.
As for Smith's aforementioned history with the Herd, the team actually acquired his rights last year and hoped that he'd report to them. Yet, instead, the point guard opted to play overseas, seemingly because he thought it was a better option for him. It took plenty of time, but acquiring Smith's rights may finally pay off if he does suit up for the Herd.
The ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Smith would bring plenty of hard-earned experience to Oshkosh upon arrival. With seven years of NBA experience under his belt, Smith knows what it takes to play in this league. Even if he never achieved the expectations of a ninth overall pick, Smith carved out a role as a defense-first floor general.
Picking up where he left off in the league should be Smith's goal with the Herd. If he shows teams that he can still defend and facilitate at a high level, it will draw interest. The biggest X-factor will be Smith's outside shot. A career 29.8 percent outside shooter, Smith could really show teams he is ready for a comeback if he has improved that perimeter jump shot.
While the Milwaukee Bucks currently have a full roster, meaning they couldn't bring Smith in if they wanted to, it never hurts to have depth in the organization. With Kevin Porter Jr. suffering an injury just nine minutes into the season, Milwaukee's point guard rotation has been all over the place. If a roster opportunity were to open up down the line, Smith would already have one foot in the door.
Coincidentally, Smith will not be the only former top 10 pick on the Herd. Johnny Davis, who went 10th overall to Washington in 2022, is also looking to claw his way back to the big leagues. Between Smith, Oladipo, and Davis, this retooled Herd roster has plenty of players seeking redemption.
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