Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka Doncic found themselves on the same team in Dallas, but their relationship has been fractured by Rick Carlisle’s comments about living up to expectations being a key factor for NBA success.
Luka Doncic is a basketball player who has recently been traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Dennis Smith Jr. was also traded to the Mavs, but his relationship with Rick Carlisle has been marred by controversy.
Rick Carlisle coached the Dallas Mavericks for 13 years, the most of any coach in team history. However, his success has been overshadowed by his tumultuous relationship with Luka Doncic during his last years as a coach. According to a recent hard-hitting story, one reason Carlisle and Doncic couldn’t get along is the coach’s handling of former first-round choice Dennis Smith Jr.
Luka Doncic and Dennis Smith Jr. were supposed to provide a 1-2 punch for the Dallas Mavericks.
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The Mavericks owned the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, coming off a sub-.500 season for the first time since 1999-00. Smith, an athletic guard from NC State, was chosen with it. After Smith averaged 15.2 points in 69 games the next year, Dallas made a draft-day trade for Doncic.
The two guards quickly became great friends. Smith and Doncic, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon is an actor who has been in a number of films., resided in the same apartment complex and played video games together. In preparation for his debut season, DSJ also took Luka on a tour of the city. The Mavericks took advantage of the bond as well, partnering the second-year guard and youngster on media day and having them pose side-by-side on local billboards.
Carlisle, on the other hand, was not a fan of this combo, particularly Smith. That was brutally clear in his handling of the guard.
Dennis Smith Jr. was not a fan of Rick Carlisle.
This account of my stay there is accurate. And this is coming from both staff and players! You don’t even have a clue. https://t.co/9gh2DI4xPu
December 15, 2021 — Dennis Smith Jr. (@Dennis1SmithJr)
Smith played only 101 games with the Mavericks before being traded to the New York Knicks in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis. As it turns out, one of the main reasons is the former coach’s opinions regarding the 2017 first-round choice.
Carlisle turned on Smith around midway through his first season, according to MacMahon. DSJ’s stats were impressive, but they weren’t enough to persuade the coach that the high-usage guard with a subpar jumper was worth developing. When Doncic came, it was just reinforced (h/t ESPN).
“Sources say that during one early-season team meeting, Carlisle accused Smith of being envious of Doncic, which stunned many players. The teammates thought it was unjust to Smith, who wasn’t playing well but was doing his hardest to fit in with Doncic on the floor.
According to club insiders, Doncic was especially enraged by Carlisle’s effort to turn him against his buddy and colleague. ”
Tim MacMahon
Smith’s demise might be linked to Carlisle’s handling of the once-promising athlete. DSJ, who is just 24, is already on his fourth club, the Portland Trail Blazers, where he is averaging 5.8 points in 17.4 minutes this season.
Doncic was estranged from Carlisle as a result of his treatment of DSJ.
The Mavericks made a coaching change last summer as the relationship between Luka and Carlisle deteriorated. As it turns out, one of the main reasons for this is the way the current Indiana Pacers general manager handled Smith and others.
“It wasn’t really about Rick’s treatment of Luka,” a 2018-19 Mavericks player told ESPN. “Luka despised Rick’s treatment of others.”
Tensions between Doncic and Carlisle increased even worse, with veterans like J.J. Barea being asked to act as a go-between between the star and the coach. Although, just before Luka’s departure from Dallas, the coach attempted to mend fences with him.
The Mavericks are aiming to put the past behind them now that Jason Kidd has taken over as coach, and move on from Carlisle’s turbulent stint.
Basketball Reference provided all statistics.
RELATED: Jason Kidd Surprisingly Calls Out His Team and Identifies the Reason Why Luka Doncic and the Mavericks Will Not Be able to Compete in the Western Conference: ‘We’ve always assumed he’d be superhuman.’
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