Mavericks fan-favorite's hyped Dallas return was doomed from the start
When the Dallas Mavericks signed former fan-favorite guard Dennis Smith Jr., every fan knew it would be an uphill battle for him to fight for one of Dallas' roster spots. Not only did the Mavericks have every spot filled on their 15-man roster, but Brandon Williams would have been the only realistic candidate to be on the chopping block, and due to the Mavericks' need for shooters, Williams was never truly going to be waived.
For Smith Jr., this was his first shot at competing for a roster spot in the NBA in over an entire season after his last stint with the Brooklyn Nets. One of the reasons Smith Jr. slowly fizzled out of the league was due to his lack of shooting and inability to expand his offensive bag beyond his impressive slashing capabilities.
There's no doubt that from the jump, it was clear that Smith Jr. was going to be waived before the season began, but the Mavericks just ensured every fan's worst thoughts after cutting him only a few days before the regular season could tip off. As unfortunate as it may seem, the Mavericks simply weren't the team for Smith Jr. to truly compete for a roster spot.
Smith Jr's. time in Dallas was doomed before it even began
Before the offseason even began, one of the Mavericks' biggest needs was their lack of point-of-attack defense at the guard position. While Cooper Flagg will likely be one of the Mavericks' main defenders around the perimeter, the Mavericks still desperately need defensive depth at the point of attack, which was one of the reasons Smith Jr.'s signing made so much sense at the time.
For Smith Jr., it may have been an outside shot at making the Mavericks' active roster, but due to their defensive needs, Smith Jr.'s presence would have been more than enough to ensure the Mavericks would have had one of the league's best point of attack defenders sitting on their bench. To make matters even better for Smith Jr., Dante Exum has been dealing with numerous injuries, which made it possible for the Mavericks to move on from him.
Despite the concern from Exum's health and availability and Williams' non-guaranteed contract, the Mavericks opted to move on from Smith Jr. in a move that wouldn't surprise any fan on Friday morning. For Smith Jr., he still has a shot at playing for the Texas Legends, where he could potentially show out and expand his offensive game in the G-League for the opportunity at being signed by another team in the future.
It would have been one of the best feel-good stories for the Mavericks and their fans after a full season of despair and sadness had Smith Jr. made the team's active roster, but the reality is that Smith Jr.'s time with the Mavericks was always going to be short.
Since re-signing with the Mavericks, Smith Jr. would only suit up for two preseason games, where he would only make late-game appearances and have minimal production in those two appearances. Smith Jr.'s defense would have, without a doubt, made a major impact for the Mavericks this coming season, but due to his lack of ability to develop a three-point shot, his chances of cracking Dallas' starting roster were little to none.
Patriots Immediately Sign Talented Jets 23-Year-Old Castoff
The New York Jets abruptly cut ties with defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III this week.
It didn’t take long for him to find a new NFL home. NFL Network Insider Tom Pelissero shared on social media that Taylor signed with the New England Patriots’ practice squad.
Jets Fans Aren’t Pleased With How Things Turned Out
“Well this blows,” The Jet Press posted on social media.
“I don’t know how this doesn’t piss you off 😡😡😡 #JetUP,” a Jets fan responded.
“Of course,” Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News reacted to the news.
Taylor Is Brimming With NFL Upside
The former Miami product didn’t go undrafted in 2024 due to a lack of talent. Bluntly, he didn’t show consistency in his performance.
“Sky-high missed tackle rate and leaves production on the field … Uneven production and performance,” Dane Brugler wrote in “The Beast” via The Athletic.
Coming out of high school, Taylor was a five-star recruit. In the 2021 recruiting class, he was the “No. 3 recruit in Florida (behind JC Latham and Dallas Turner). He was the No. 11 recruit nationally,” Brugler revealed.
Latham and Turner ended up being future first-round draft choices in the NFL.
“Picturesque frame with long arms and room for additional mass … flashes juice in lower body with an explosive get-off … plays balanced on his feet with the shoulder/body flexibility to maneuver through tight spaces … flashes the semblance of pass-rush transitions and should get better with continued coaching (see 2023 Temple tape),” Brugler highlighted.
Jets Better Hope Their Evaluation Was Right
Taylor, 23, showed flashes with the Jets of the player who was considered first-round worthy at points during his college career.
The former Miami product collected four quarterback hits, 1.5 sacks, and four tackles for loss as a rookie in 2024. During the offseason, the Jets flipped coaching staffs, which meant that Taylor had to prove himself again.
Taylor cracked the 53-man roster and figured to be a key piece of the rotation at defensive tackle. However, right before the season, general manager Darren Mougey brought in some hired guns.
Mougey struck a deal with the Minnesota Vikings for proven veteran big man Harrison Phillips. Then he struck another trade to acquire another defensive tackle: Jowon Briggs from the Cleveland Browns.
Those unexpected new pieces stole roles and reps from the other defensive tackles that were already on the Jets roster.
That ultimately made Taylor expendable. In four of the first six games of the season, Taylor was a healthy scratch. He couldn’t even get on the field to strut his stuff.
Now he’s off the team but now with a bitter rival. The Jets better hope they did their evaluation correctly. If Taylor starts popping with a division rival and shoves it in the Jets’ face twice a year, they will never hear the end of it.
The Jets and Patriots have a long, storied rivalry with players switching sides over the years. Taylor has a chance to add another chapter to that story. He will start off on the Patriots’ practice squad with a chance to eventually join the team’s 53-
