Dennis Smith Jr. is Thriving In Charlotte
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Dennis Smith Jr. has become a journeyman after getting traded from the Dallas Mavericks only a year after they selected him 9th in the 2017 Draft. Smith Jr. has already played for 5 NBA teams at age 24, playing for the Mavericks, Knicks, Pistons, Trail Blazers, and now, the Charlotte Hornets. Many have written Dennis off, but it appears he still has a lot left in the tank.
Through his first three games for the Hornets, Dennis Smith Jr. is averaging 13.3 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.7 steals on 65.7 TS%. Dennis is doing everything asked of him and more. He's provided much-needed rim pressure at the guard position with his explosiveness and off-ball cutting ability. Dennis has also taken up a lot of playmaking responsibility, with LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier suffering injuries. In addition, he's excelled at the P&R and creating shots for others.
On the defensive end, Dennis has been wreaking havoc as a disruptor which will keep him on the floor even when LaMelo returns. It's clear that Dennis takes pride in defense, which you can't say for most of the players Charlotte has had over the past few seasons. Smith Jr. fights over screens, slides his feet on defense, and keeps active hands every defensive possession.
To sum it up, he's relentless, constantly fighting for position against challenging assignments like CJ McCollum and Trae Young. "He changes things with his ball pressure. He's a terrific competitor," said Steve Clifford following the win against San Antonio.
Dennis Smith Jr has also been impressive behind the arc through these first three games shooting 5-7 from three. One of the more significant issues throughout Smith's career is his lack of perimeter shooting at the point guard position shooting 31.5% from three for his career. However, Dennis has looked confident shooting from deep, and Steve Clifford has noted that he's putting in a lot of work with Bruce Kruetzer, the assistant coach that helped tweak Kemba's jump shot which turned him into a lethal shooter. A consistent jump shot will expand Smith's offensive game and prolong his career.
The season is still extremely young, but the Fayetteville native may find a home here in Charlotte. The Hornets' backup point guard position has been somewhat of a revolving door, but Dennis Smith Jr checks all the boxes, and he sure feels that this can be the team where he sticks.
"Other teams never really told me they want to make me the best player I can be," said Dennis Smith Jr on media day. People prematurely wrote him off, but it's clear that Dennis Smith Jr is a more than capable NBA player, and he will continue to prove that for Charlotte this season.
