Miami Heat: 3 trades for the Dallas Mavericks’ Dennis Smith Jr.
By Trey Flynn
The Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks are sitting in similar predicaments as they both are treading water to stay afloat above a .500 record, and now the right direction for at least one of these organizations is to move on from one of their coveted young assets.
The Miami Heat have not been one of the teams reported to be interested in point guard Dennis Smith Jr. of the Dallas Mavericks, but why shouldn’t they be, as they are a team that is in dire need of offensive help.
Even with the Heat’s Dion Waiters back from injury and a 3-point specialist in Wayne Ellington resting on the bench, Miami seems reluctant that those two players can help their offense move forward, so who can?
Smith Jr. is the former no. 9 pick out of the 2017 draft and is highly touted as one of the better athletic combo guards the league has right now. However, the Mavericks may be moving on from DSJ after only a year and a half, as they drafted a once-in-a-generation talent in Luka Doncic, their new point guard of the future.
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Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN illustrates below why the Dallas Mavericks are deciding to move on from the 21-year-old and why a deal may include Wesley Matthews:
"The Dallas Mavericks are escalating talks to trade guard Dennis Smith Jr., pushing to end a partnership that has run its course for both the franchise and former first-round pick, league sources tell ESPN. Dallas has also searched for deals that would include veteran Wes Matthews, who is making $18.6 million in the final year of his contract, league sources said. Coach Rick Carlisle and Smith have struggled to find a common ground, league sources said. The arrival of rookie of the year favorite Luka Doncic has pushed Smith off the ball and changed the trajectory of his role with the team. Carlisle has often been frustrated with Smith’s decision-making, league sources said. While Doncic and Smith have built a good personal relationship, the results haven’t been good with them playing together on the floor. Doncic and Smith average only 100.9 points per 100 possessions in 687 minutes this season. Doncic and rookie guard Jalen Brunson average 106.9 in 328 minutes — while Doncic and J.J. Barea were 112.6 in 232 minutes. Smith averaged 15 points and five assists in his rookie season a year ago."
Those pairing numbers of Doncic and Smith prove that the duo may not work well enough in the short term, and while I would love to see Dallas give them another chance to work together, it seems they have seen enough.
The Heat have a lot of hefty contracts to move that happen to be solid role players, who could all be difference makers for a Mavericks team fighting for a playoff spot, unwilling to tank this year being led by their superstar rookie Doncic. Not to mention, it may be their future hall of fame forward Dirk Nowitzki’s last season, so this could be a deal that is done fairly soon as they hope to get a playoff roster assembled before February.
The Heat have had their own trade speculations arise over the past week, as Dion Waiters has complained about minutes, Wayne Ellington is frustrated on the bench (as he should be), and Rodney McGruder is on a contract year playing really well under high trade value.
We have 3 trades for Dennis Smith Jr. that make a lot of sense for Miami moving forward, I have done what I could to keep the youth of Miami out of it in Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow and Bam Adebayo. Mostly because the Heat franchise could start anew with Smith, Richardson, Winslow, and Bam as their best players for the future.