5 top-remaining NBA free agents that would be perfect last-minute adds to a contender
By Cal Durrett
5) Dennis Smith Jr.
Former top-10 draft pick Dennis Smith Jr. remains unsigned after last playing for the Brooklyn Nets but unlike the others, he has drawn interest from a team. His former team, the Dallas Mavericks, have been linked to him, with them considering signing him or fellow guard Spencer Dinwiddie to one of their last remaining roster spots.
Unfortunately for Smith Jr., they opted to go with Dinwiddie, signing him to compete for a backup point guard role. This after he averaged 6.8 points and 2.4 assists for the Lakers last season in 24.2 minutes per game in 28 games. Compare that to the 6.6 points and 3.6 assists Smith Jr. averaged in Brooklyn last season, suggesting that he could have filled that role if given the chance.
At 26 years old, he is still young enough to contribute. But at this point in free agency, any team that signs him would likely either bring him in to compete for a backup point guard role or as a depth piece. Even so, Smith Jr. is considered to be a terrific defender and may easily emerge, potentially filling a niche that a contender might need filling.