NBA free agent point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is set to join Real Madrid, pending a physical, according to Nacho Duque of Marca and Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.
Ricardo Gonzalez of AS.com first reported that Smith’s move to the EuroLeague powerhouse was gaining traction, with Real Madrid making him a priority in recent days after previously being linked to Devonte’ Graham.
Smith himself has fueled speculation about the move, reposting multiple stories on his Instagram, including a photo taken at Madrid’s airport, further hinting at the impending deal.
The ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Smith has suited up for six NBA teams over the course of seven seasons — the Mavericks, Knicks, Pistons, Trail Blazers, Hornets, and Nets.
Last season, he made 56 appearances for the Nets, averaging 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 18.9 minutes per game. While Smith isn’t known for his scoring or shooting, he is a solid ball-handler, distributor, and defender at the point-of-attack.
His shooting splits last season were .435 percent from the field, .294 from three-point range, and .741 from the free-throw line, underscoring his limitations as a scorer.
Smith’s most recent NBA stint ended after signing a G League contract last month, expecting to be claimed by the Austin Spurs. However, he was instead claimed by the Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks’ affiliate. It remains unclear if Smith ever reported to the Herd or played in any games for them.
Should the deal be finalized, Smith will join a star-studded Real Madrid squad that includes former NBA players like Facundo Campazzo, Mario Hezonja, Dzanan Musa, Serge Ibaka, and Usman Garuba.
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