3. Dennis Smith Jr.
This is a bit of an ironic entry on the list as Dennis Smith Jr. was initially reported as an included asset in the Raptors trade deadline deal that sent Dennis Schroder to the Brooklyn Nets. These reports were later proved inaccurate, as a relieved DSJ took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his confusion over the ordeal. It didn’t seem like Dennis Smith Jr. wanted to take his services further up North, but who knows, the right offer could entice DSJ to join an up-and-coming Raptors squad looking to make a playoff push.
DSJ came into the league with a lot of hype and promise, but his NBA career has proven to be a tale of ups and downs. He joined a rebuilding Dallas Mavericks team as the 9th overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, where he was expected to be a fundamental building block for Dallas in a future post-Dirk world. Despite some lackluster efficiency on the advanced stats, which isn’t uncommon for rookie point guards, DSJ found a spot on the All-Rookie Second Team at the conclusion of the 2017-18 campaign.
Unfortunately for DSJ, the following season marked the arrival of Luka Doncic in Dallas, which soon proved to be an inefficient backcourt pairing. The Mavs soon decided they were willing to part ways with DSJ and shipped him off to New York as a key asset in acquiring Knicks big man Kristaps Porzingis. DSJ’s subsequent career would see a huge falloff, with him never quite making a name for himself in the Big Apple and having further mediocre stints in Detroit and Portland.
When DSJ found a new home in Charlotte, he managed to see an uptake in minutes and production given the absence of their franchise point guard, LaMelo Ball. He hadn’t seen well over 20+ mins a game since his rookie season, and despite some inefficiency concerns carrying over, DSJ carved out a consistent role with the Hornets. Moving over to the Brooklyn Nets in the 2023 offseason, DSJ continued to find success with a stable rotation spot, continuing to show solid production as a backup point guard.
Dennis Smith Jr. is never going to be a guard you expect to score at will, heck, it might even be a long shot to expect double-digit points on any given night. But, DSJ has always been someone heralded for his athleticism and serviceable defensive abilities. Toronto could value a veteran point guard with more proven shooting ability, but it shouldn’t cost a fortune to give DSJ a chance up North. If he carves out a successful Raptors run, then it’s a win. But if he turns out to be a dud, chances are it didn’t cost much to get him anyway.