During Luka Dončić’s rookie campaign, Dennis Smith Jr. wasn’t a great fit alongside him. It appeared that both would need the ball to be successful, and it made no sense to keep a young player around who might impede Luka’s path to high usage.

So, the Mavericks traded him to the New York Knicks, and he has since become a journeyman. While Dončić developed into a perennial MVP candidate, it took a while to realize Smith might be a legitimate defensive specialist.

The Mavericks now might be willing to put those two together again, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto.

Of course, the dynamic would be different. Kyrie Irving is on the Mavericks, and no one would expect DSJ to be a starter alongside either star. But there were times this season and into the Finals when it looked like Dallas could’ve used another playmaker to jolt the offense when Luka was off the floor.

Smith might be able to do that, while also giving the second unit a dynamic point-of-attack defender.

Jaden Hardy or Dante Exum might be able to check those boxes as well, but Dallas spending some portion of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception or the bi-annual exception on backcourt insurance would make sense.