clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Dennis Smith Jr. Becomes Guaranteed This Friday

The Blazers have until Friday to decide whether they keep the athletic point guard for the rest of the season.

Portland Trail Blazers v Los Angeles Lakers Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

The Portland Trail Blazers have until this Friday to decide on whether they keep guard Dennis Smith Jr. for the rest of the season.

The athletic point guard joins a list of players whose contracts become fully guaranteed at 5pm ET on January 7, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Smith Jr. beat out Marquese Chriss, Patrick Patterson, and Quinn Cook during training camp to earn the Blazers’ 14th roster spot.

This season, the 24-year-old has played in 18 games, averaging 17.4 minutes, 5.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 turnovers. He recently missed multiple games last week after entering COVID health and safety protocols.

Smith Jr. was taken by the Dallas Mavericks with the ninth pick in the 2017 draft. After one year in Texas he was traded to the New York Knicks as part of the Kristaps Porzingis trade before spending the part of last season with the Detroit Pistons.