The Dallas Mavericks signed guard John Poulakidas and forward Tyler Smith to two-way contracts on Sunday and waived two-way guard Miles Kelly.
The moves are among a series of recent roster transactions for Dallas, which also converted guard Ryan Nembhard to a multi-year contract and waived veteran guard Tyus Jones.
It remains unclear whether either Poulakidas or Smith will be available when the Mavericks host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday.
John Poulakidas Brings Elite Three-Point Shooting
Poulakidas, a 6-foot-6, 205-pound guard, joins Dallas after spending the first part of the season with the G League’s San Diego Clippers, where he appeared in 24 games, making 14 starts, and averaged 14.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
The 22-year-old shot 47.3% from three-point range on 96-of-203 attempts, the seventh-highest mark among qualifiers in the G League this season.
A native of Naperville, Illinois, Poulakidas went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft after four seasons at Yale, where he finished as a 40.2% three-point shooter (243-of-604). After coming off the bench in all 20 games as a freshman, he started every game from his sophomore year onward, a streak of 90 consecutive starts.
Poulakidas earned Second Team All-Ivy League honors as a junior in 2023-24 and helped Yale defeat Auburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament that spring. As a senior in 2024-25, he led the conference in scoring at 19.2 points per game and was named First Team All-Ivy League and Ivy League Tournament MVP.
He will wear No. 1 for Dallas.
Tyler Smith Adds Two-Way Versatility Up Front
Smith, a 6-foot-9, 225-pound forward, arrives after averaging 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 19 games with the G League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers this season. He shot 50.9% from the field and 38.7% from three-point range in 26.9 minutes per game.
The Houston native signed with Overtime Elite out of high school in 2021 and played one season with the NBA G League Ignite in 2023-24 before the Milwaukee Bucks selected him 33rd overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Smith, 21, appeared in 23 games as a rookie with Milwaukee in 2024-25, averaging 2.9 points and 1.1 rebounds in 5.3 minutes per game while shooting 48.0% from the field, 43.3% from three and 75.0% from the free throw line. He was a member of the Bucks’ 2024 NBA Cup championship team and also appeared in 25 G League games with the Wisconsin Herd while on assignment.
He will wear No. 23 for the Mavericks, who are dealing with no shortage of injuries in the frontcourt. Dereck Lively II is out for the season following right foot surgery, while Marvin Bagley III (neck sprain), Cooper Flagg (left midfoot sprain), and P.J. Washington (left ankle sprain) are all unavailable or limited heading into Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City. Flagg remains without a clear timetable for return — head coach Jason Kidd recently indicated the rookie is unlikely to play even Tuesday against the Charlotte Hornets. Smith’s ability to play and score both inside and out gives Dallas a versatile option when needed.
Miles Kelly Departs After Promising Rookie Split
Kelly, a 6-foot-6, 190-pound guard, signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent shortly after the 2025 NBA Draft and has been with the franchise throughout the season. He was part of the Mavericks’ Summer League squad and carried that into training camp before earning a two-way contract.
Kelly appeared in 14 games for Dallas this season, averaging 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per game. Despite having the skill set of a sharpshooter, he was unable to find a rhythm with the Mavericks when given the opportunity. On assignment with the Texas Legends, he started all 14 of his G League appearances and averaged 20.4 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 34.0 minutes per contest.
Poulakidas figures to serve as a direct replacement for that role among Dallas’ two-way contract players, bringing one of the sharpest three-point strokes in the G League this season.
Ryan Nembhard Earns Multi-Year Deal After Record Rookie Run
In a separate transaction, the Mavericks signed Nembhard to a multi-year contract after a standout rookie season.
The 6-foot, 180-pound guard is averaging 6.7 points, 1.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists in 38 games, 17 starts, for Dallas this season. He leads all rookies in assists per game and ranks sixth among first-year players in total assists with 186, despite being the only player in the top 10 to have appeared in fewer than 40 games. His assist total ranks 10th in franchise history among Mavericks rookies.
Nembhard’s production took on added importance early in the season with Kyrie Irving sidelined for the year and D’Angelo Russell out of the rotation before eventually being traded. With the Mavericks leaning heavily on the undrafted rookie at point guard, he quickly neared the 50-game limit for two-way contract players, forcing Dallas to begin rationing his appearances to preserve his eligibility down the stretch.
Nembhard made history on Dec. 1 in Denver, recording a career-high 28 points on 12-of-14 shooting to go with 10 assists and no turnovers. He became the first undrafted rookie in NBA history to post at least 25 points and 10 assists without a turnover in a single game, and joined Stephon Marbury as just the third rookie since 1977-78 — when turnovers were first tracked — to reach those thresholds with no giveaways.
Four days later, he recorded 15 points and a career-high 13 assists with one turnover, making him the first rookie in NBA history to post 40 points and 20 assists with one or fewer turnovers over a two-game span. His 13 assists also stand as the most by an undrafted player in franchise history.
The Canadian guard spent two seasons at Creighton (2021-23) before transferring to Gonzaga, where he played two more seasons (2023-25) before going undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Tyus Jones Moves On Following Trade Deadline Arrival
The Mavericks also waived Jones, 29, who appeared in eight games, two starts, with Dallas and averaged 3.9 points and 3.8 assists in 16.6 minutes per game.
Jones was acquired by Dallas along with Khris Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, and AJ Johnson on Feb. 5 as part of a three-team trade involving the Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets.
There has been no reporting yet on a landing spot for Jones, but the motivation behind the waiver is clear — the veteran guard figures to be seeking a contending team. Dallas, at 21-38, owns the seventh-worst record in the NBA and is firmly in the lottery picture.
The Mavericks also did not hold Jones’ Bird Rights, meaning there was no competitive advantage for him to play out the season in Dallas and hit free agency with the club.
With the additions of Poulakidas and Smith, the Mavericks’ two-way roster also includes center Moussa Cissé, who is nearing the 50-game limit for two-way contract players and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game against Oklahoma City.
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