Dennis Smith Jr. will be on the Dallas Mavericks’ training camp roster, sources tell DallasHoopsJournal.com. The 27-year-old guard is returning to the team that drafted him in 2017, but the path to a regular-season spot is complicated by the team’s current roster limits.
The Mavericks recently waived Olivier-Maxence Prosper and signed Danté Exum to a one-year deal, giving them the league maximum of 15 standard contracts. With no open spots available, Smith’s agreement is most likely an Exhibit 9 contract — a training camp arrangement that allows him to compete for a place on the team while protecting the Mavericks from long-term financial commitment.
Roster Crunch Limits Options
Exhibit 9 contracts are one-year, minimum-salary deals that carry no cap hit unless the player makes the regular-season roster. If a player suffers an injury in preseason, the team can waive him with only $15,000 owed for medical expenses. Should the player earn a roster spot, the contract converts into a standard non-guaranteed deal.
Dallas would need to waive or trade a player to create space for Smith on a standard contract. Brandon Williams is the most vulnerable candidate; his expiring $2.3 million salary includes just $200,000 guaranteed, rising to $850,000 if he remains on the roster by opening night and becoming fully guaranteed Jan. 10.
Smith previously participated in a veteran mini-camp with the Mavericks earlier this summer, sources confirm, making him a familiar fit for training camp.
Jaden Hardy, another name mentioned in trade speculation, currently lacks trade value, making it challenging for Dallas to move him to open a roster spot. He is set to begin the first season of a three-year, $18 million contract that he signed last year.
Dennis Smith Jr.’s Second Dallas Mavericks Stint
Smith was drafted ninth overall by the Mavericks in 2017 and earned All-Rookie honors in his debut season. He played less than two seasons in Dallas before being included in the trade that sent Kristaps Porziņģis from the New York Knicks.
Since then, Smith has played for five NBA teams, carving out roles primarily off the bench. His most recent NBA action came with the Brooklyn Nets in 2024, followed by a brief stint with Real Madrid earlier this year.
In 326 NBA games, Smith has career averages of 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. Now, he will head to training camp with a chance to compete to reclaim a spot in the league.
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