No shortage of Milwaukee Bucks fans were excited when the Wisconsin Herd, their G-League affiliate, claimed guard Dennis Smith Jr. ahead of the Showcase in December.
Smith, the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, had a strong season with Brooklyn last year and went unsigned in free agency this past offseason. Known for his defensive edge and athletic ability, plenty of Bucks fans were enthralled by what he could bring to the Wisconsin as he makes an NBA comeback bid. Yet, he hasn't played a game for the Herd despite being signed last month.
Why? Spotrac's Keith Smith may have revealed the answer in his piece detailing upcoming 10-day contract candidates.
Milwaukee Bucks G-League team likely won't employ former lottery pick
Per Keith Smith, Dennis Smith Jr. hasn't played for the Herd because he didn't land where he initially wanted to end up. Rumors were floating that Smith wanted to join San Antonio's affiliate when he entered the G-League pool, so this does track. After plenty of initial hype surrounding the Herd acquiring the guard, it appears it may be all for nothing.
It would be surprising if Dennis Smith Jr. ever ended up suiting up for the Wisconsin Herd. With this new info in mind, it feels inevitable that they will let him go at some point, paving the way for him to land with the Spurs affiliate. Currently, this isn't doing him any favors as he aims to make it back into the NBA, but time will tell how it uliamtely plays out for him.
Even without Smith actually playing, the Herd have done a strong job of adding talent that could be worth a flyer at the NBA level. Coming off an Achilles injury, Terence Davis has looked great. After a brief stint overseas, Jack Gohlke is bringing great marksmanship to the squad. Henry Ellenson has been one of the team's best players this season. There is plenty of talent to scout.
Even if he's not going to play for their G-League team, the Milwaukee Bucks should keep tabs on the young guard, as he does check off several boxes in terms of what this roster could use. If they were to open up a roster spot in the coming months, he may be worth taking a flyer on to beef up their rotation moving forward.
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