The Brooklyn Nets have signed free agent guard Dennis Smith Jr.
Smith Jr. (6’2″, 205) spent the 2022-23 season with the Charlotte Hornets, appearing in 54 games (15 starts) and posting averages of 8.8 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 25.7 minutes per game. Smith Jr. ranked third in the league in steals per game among players to play 26.0 minutes or fewer per game, trailing only Washington’s Dillon Wright (1.8 steals in 24.4 minutes per game) and Chicago’s Alex Caruso (1.5 steals in 23.5 minutes per game). . Charlotte’s defense improved by 10.7 points per 100 possessions with Smith Jr. on the field, and his “defensive impact” on/off center ranked second best in the league for recording at least 1,000 minutes. Smith Jr. also posted a career-best 3.18 assist percentage in his only season with the Hornets.
In six seasons split between Charlotte and Portland (2021-20), Detroit (2021), New York (2019-21) and Dallas (2017-19), the 25-year-old posted averages of 10.3 points and 3.0 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 24.2 minutes per competition across 270 games (150 starts).
He earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors with the Mavericks in 2017-18 after averaging 15.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 29.7 minutes per game over 69 games (all starts).
Smith Jr. was selected with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft by Dallas after spending one year (2016-17) at North Carolina State University, where the Fayetteville, NC native earned ACC Freshman of the Year and Team honors. All-ACC Second Team in his only season with the Wolfpack.