Plenty of Milwaukee Bucks fans were intrigued when their G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, claimed Dennis Smith Jr. from the player pool.
Although Smith was expected to suit up for the Herd during Saturday's showcase game, he didn't. Now, with the G-League Showcase over, it's unclear what Smith's next steps are. If his main goal is making it back to the NBA, it would make sense for Smith to stick with the Herd to showcase his talent and what he can offer, but there are other avenues - and teams - that could possibly help him.
In fact, there is another team who could snatch the guard right from the Wisconsin Herd's grasp before he even has the chance to don a green jersey.
The Bucks' G-League team may not have their newcomer for long
BasketNews' Donatas Urbonas reported recently that Real Madrid has Dennis Smith Jr. on their radar. If Smith feels like playing overseas offers him a better chance of making it back to the league than the G-League does, he could very well take his talents out of the country. All eyes will be on this situation, as the Bucks' intriguing experiment may be over before it even starts if Smith heads overseas.
It would be great if the Herd got Smith to suit up for them. They have a handful of veterans seeking NBA comebacks on their roster, including Terence Davis, Henry Ellenson and Justise Winslow, and Dennis Smith Jr. could add another intriguing name into the mix. This would allow the Bucks to get the inside track on his potential and weigh the possibility of potentially calling him up to the NBA.
Smith wouldn't be the only possible target for the Bucks to take the overseas route rather than stick in the G-League. Lonnie Walker IV turned heads when he chose to play overseas this season rather than play for the Boston Celtics G-League squad. Given the level of talent and financial gain, it's not the worst move for a player looking to make it back into the association.
Given the hype surrounding the signing when it was announced, it would be a letdown if Smith never suited up for the Herd, but he will likely do what he believes is best for his NBA chances.
The Herd are back in action on December 27, giving Smith some time to weigh his options.
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