One big question for every NBA team

How much free rein will Dennis Smith Jr. get?

The Mavericks have had a constantly rotating cast of characters at the point guard spot since winning the title back in 2011. For years now the Mavs have tended to get good production out of outcasts and misfits at the guard positions (with the notable exception of Rajon Rondo). Remember when Monta Ellis was a useful player for Dallas?! That was only a few seasons ago ago!

Dallas selected point guard Dennis Smith Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. He’s a freak athlete with a high ceiling and a low basement, which is a kind of player that the Mavs haven’t had in quite a while. Coach Rick Carlisle and Dirk Nowitzki have made the lives of point guards pretty easy in Dallas. The Mavs try to keep as much shooting on the floor as possible throughout the game. They have lived off of Dirk’s pick-and-roll wizardry for the better part of two decades now. The spacing he creates allows point guards to get into the middle of opposing defenses and wreak havoc.

Smith Jr. is a player that can get to the rack, which means he should fit well in a system that emphasizes pristine spacing. If the Mavs let him loose and give him control of the offense early in the year, he might have a strong case for Rookie of the Year by the end of the season.