Dallas Mavericks re-sign player they drafted before Luka Doncic, he’s fighting for a spot

Dallas Mavericks agree to one-year deal with guard Dennis Smith Jr.

The Mavericks have added another depth piece before training camp, agreeing to a deal with Dennis Smith Jr.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the news as Smith will reunite with the Mavericks, who drafted him No. 9 overall in 2017, a year before they obtained Luka Doncic in the 2018 draft.

Smith Jr. and Doncic played together on the Mavericks during the 2018-19 NBA season.

Since then, Smith Jr. has bounced around the league playing for six teams in seven years.

Those teams include the Mavericks, New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Portland Trail Blazers, Charlotte Hornets and Brooklyn Nets.

For his career, Smith Jr. has averaged 9.7 points, 4.2 assists and 3.0 rebounds in 326 regular-season games. Hopefully, a return to Dallas will provide a spark in the 27-year-old’s career.

The Dallas Mavericks are a championship contender even without Luka Doncic

The Mavericks have built a team around defense, with their anchor Davis in the middle and rookie Flagg in the fold.

The Mavericks will be without Kyrie Irving, who’s out with a torn ACL, until the new year, but their signing of D’Angelo Russell should keep them afloat.

The Mavericks have a balanced starting five when Irving comes back, and a deep bench unit.

If health is on the Mavericks’ side, they could be a dark horse for the title this season.