Dallas Mavericks: 5 reasons Dennis Smith Jr. was a great pick
By Joe Hulbert
2. He pushes the Mavs toward the playoffs
Dennis Smith Jr. may not be a day one starter, but even if he is the sixth man, he is someone who can get Dallas back into the playoffs.
The Mavs have an underrated core in place with the likes of Harrison Barnes and Seth Curry, and Dirk Nowitzki is still very much serviceable. They also have enough cap room to sign a decent player this summer, which makes this summer an exciting one for Dallas fans (though Nerlens Noel‘s restricted free agency will be priority No. 1, according to ESPN‘s Marc Stein).
Re-signing Nerlens Noel, league sources say, is Dallas' offseason priority, far ahead of their long-anticipated interest in UFA Jrue Holiday
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 24, 2017
The main reason the Mavericks missed the playoffs last year was because of their below-average guard play, as their highest ranked guard in win shares per 48 minutes was Seth Curry, and he was 30th in the NBA.
It was even worse for their point guards, as Devin Harris was their highest ranked point guard at 38th. Harris is a fine role player, but he couldn’t run an offense, which meant Dallas was reliant on freeing up its frontcourt players through set plays.
Smith adds something extra to this offense, and with Rick Carlisle coaching him, the Mavs could once again become pick-and-roll masters, which should push them toward a playoff spot.