Dennis Smith Jr. is participating in the Sixers‘ two-day veterans minicamp this week, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
The 27-year-old guard is hoping to return to the NBA after a one-year absence. After failing to catch on with anyone prior to the start of the season, Smith signed a G League contract in mid-December. He was hoping to be claimed by the Austin Spurs, but wound up with the Wisconsin Herd and never played for them.
Smith headed to Europe in mid-January, signing with Real Madrid for the rest of the season. He reportedly wasn’t in top condition when he arrived in Spain and only appeared in two games. He left after about a month in hopes of being picked up by an NBA team with a roster opening, but that didn’t happen so now he’s hoping to work his way back into the league through offseason auditions.
Smith spent time with six teams during his seven NBA seasons. He was selected by Dallas with the ninth pick in 2017, but was traded to New York midway through his second season. He was sent to Detroit two years later and then had one-year stints with Portland, Charlotte and Brooklyn.
Smith was an extremely explosive and athletic guard coming into the league, but shooting issues prevented him from ever reaching stardom. He’s averaging 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 326 NBA games with career shooting splits of .407/.298/.674.
Other minicamp participants include Eugene Omoruyi, Malcolm Hill, Adama Sanogo, Alondes Williams, Malik Williams, Armando Bacot, Javonte Cooke, Judah Mintz and Leaky Black, Pompey adds (Twitter link).
Hahahaha….after all these years
Praise God!!!
Junior Mintz should have stayed at Syracuse another season. Nobody wants an undersized SG with .438/.282/.765 shooting splits. He should have stayed in college, worked on his shot, and developed his defense and passing.
He was in a decent spot too. Now he will scratch and claw for NBA chump change. All he has to do was work on his shot and lead guard skills but nope
Was Michael Jordan at the minicamp? Might as well
Why sign with this lack of a plan franchise?
He had turned into a solid defender and I thought there must be a place for him in the NBA.
What gives me pause though is “He reportedly wasn’t in top condition when he arrived in Spain and only appeared in two games.”
You’re playing for your career and are not in good enough shape to play?
Devon Givens must be ecstatic.