NBA Trade Rumors: 3 trade destinations for Dennis Smith Jr

It was reported earlier this week by multiple sources that the Dallas Mavericks are looking to trade away Dennis Smith Jr. This was a major surprise, as the Mavericks only picked the point guard with the ninth pick of the 2017 draft, and Smith Jr. had already firmly established himself as a key player to the team.

In his debut season, Smith averaged 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game, and the youngster's performances earned him a place on the All-Rookie Second Team. Smith Jr.'s influence has been slightly reduced this season due to the addition of Luka Doncic, however, the 21-year-old has still managed to contribute 12.6 points and 3.9 assists per game.

Nevertheless, it is believed that the Mavericks cannot see Doncic and Smith Jr operating in the same team, so the decision was made to sacrifice last seasons draft pick. Despite the Mavericks deciding he wasn't a good fit for their team, Smith Jr. is likely to attract significant interest on the trade market this month, and here we will look at three teams that could make a move for the young point guard.

#3 New York Knicks

The New York Knicks are currently gearing up to make a number of huge moves during the 2019 offseason, although the team still needs to address their issues at the point guard position. 20-year-old Frank Ntilikina has shown promise this season, however, the Knicks have been reluctant to go all in on the French star, and at just one year older, Dennis Smith Jr. is a much better prospect for the future.

The Knicks are trying to clear cap space this month, as the team is looking to offload players such as Enes Kanter and Noah Vonleh. Despite this, Smith Jr's rookie deal will not hinder the Knicks summer plans to pursue free-agents such as Kevin Durant, and the Knicks have an opportunity to pick up one of the most exciting youngsters in the NBA.