It looks like Dennis Smith Jr.’s time with Real Madrid may be short-lived. Only a few weeks since getting signed, reports have emerged that the former NBA lottery pick is leaving the team. Smith Jr. supposedly was having issues with adaptation to his new team and his physical fitness. Smith Jr.’s departure may also have to do with him eyeing a return to the NBA. With the trade deadline behind us, the NBA free agent market is where teams now need to look to add depth. Let’s look at a few teams that could potentially benefit from a Dennis Smith Jr. signing.
Former NBA Lottery Pick May Be Available On Free Agent Market
A Short Real Madrid Stint
Some were surprised by Smith Jr.’s decision to sign with Real Madrid. He had spent seven seasons in the NBA and played 56 games for the Brooklyn Nets last season. He was unable to get a contract at the beginning of the 2024-25 season which caused him to head to Spain.
Smith Jr.’s time in Spain didn’t go as planned. He played in only four total games for the team, two in Spanish ACB and two in the EuroLeague. Real Madrid had mentioned his physical fitness being part of the reason he was unable to crack the rotation, although the truth behind that is unclear.
Veteran guard Dennis Smith Jr. is leaving Real Madrid and intends to make a return to the NBA this season, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/8RS8wdd4Me
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 19, 2025
Smith Jr. now will likely consider taking another shot at getting back into the NBA. He previously signed a G League contract with the Wisconsin Herd but never played for them before heading to Spain. If he improves his conditioning, NBA teams might still show interest in him as a defensive specialist and playmaker.
Who Could Use a Dennis Smith Jr. signing?
There are definitely a few teams that could use someone like Smith Jr. on their roster. In 56 games last season he averaged 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, and 2.9 rebounds per game in 18.9 minutes. So, who needs a backup point guard?
Two teams that come to mind are the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers. They both will be looking for veterans on cheap contracts on the NBA free agent market, and a signing of Smith Jr. could be just the fit. The Lakers don’t have a super traditional point guard on their roster at the moment, with Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves expected to carry the large share of the ball handling duties. They could use someone like Dennis Smith Jr. to guard the faster, smaller guards they will face during their playoff push.
The Warriors also need a bit more depth at the point guard position. Adding Jimmy Butler certainly helps their ball-handler depth. However, they lost Dennis Schroder, so Stephen Curry’s backup is right now second year player Brandin Podziemski. They could use another point guard on the roster just to be safe.
Other Options for Smith Jr.
A couple other teams that come to mind for a possible Dennis Smith Jr. signing are the Atlanta Hawks and the Sacramento Kings. The Hawks don’t really have a solid point guard behind Trae Young which could be risky going forward. The Kings also just traded their starting point guard and have moved Malik Monk, who is more of a shooting guard, into his role. They did just sign Markelle Fultz, so the need for a point guard may have lessened. Time will tell on who will want to take a flyer on a former lottery pick and sign Smith Jr.
Photo credit: © Andrew Craft / USA TODAY NETWORK
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