Tyler Smith’s Summer League role has turned into one of the more interesting questions hanging over the Mavericks right now.
The third-year wing was expected to get a real runway in Las Vegas, but that hasn’t happened. In Dallas’ final Summer League game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Smith didn’t play at all after logging just 28 total minutes across the previous two games.
For a player who came into the summer as one of the three two-way players on the roster and one of three Summer League teammates who finished last season with Dallas, that kind of usage stands out. John Poulakidas and Ryan Nembhard have started every game they’ve played.
Smith hasn’t.
That limited run has put a spotlight on where he stands with the organization as the Mavericks keep building around Cooper Flagg. Before Summer League started, sources briefed The Smoking Cuban that Smith was expected to be in the starting lineup. Instead, he was moved out of it before the first game, and he has come off the bench in both Summer League appearances he’s made.
Multiple sources told The Smoking Cuban that Smith was removed from the starting lineup before the opener last week because he missed a film session.
The lack of minutes matters because this was supposed to be the cleanest chance for Smith to show Dallas what he can do. The Mavericks signed him to a two-year, two-way deal late last season, and he appeared in 13 games.
In that stretch, he averaged 4.7 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 42 percent from the field. He also closed the year with a 20-point game against the Chicago Bulls, a reminder of how useful he can be when he gets a bigger role.
That version of Smith hasn’t shown up yet in Las Vegas. He opened Summer League with seven points and one steal in 10 minutes against the Golden State Warriors, shooting 2-for-5 from the floor and 1-for-5 from deep.
He followed that with nine points in 18 minutes against the Los Angeles Lakers. After that, he never got on the floor against Memphis.
For Dallas, the evaluation is pretty straightforward. Smith needs minutes, and he needs them now, if Mike Schmitz and Masai Ujiri are going to decide whether he stays on that two-way deal heading into next season. Those contracts are easy to move on from, which gives the Mavericks flexibility if they want it.
At the same time, Smith does bring something useful to the table. At 6-foot-9, he has real skill for a forward, and when his shot is falling, he can be a problem.
The Mavericks saw that late last season, and with the way Dallas struggled from long range, shooting remains a premium skill. Smith is also only 21, which leaves room for growth.
So the question is simple enough, even if the answer isn’t: does Dallas see Smith as part of its young core with Flagg, or is that two-way spot better spent somewhere else?
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