5 Free agents who should be on Suns' summer wish list
By Will Eudy
Dennis Smith Jr.
The story of Dennis Smith Jr. is another revolving around adaptability. Coming into the league, Dennis was known as an elite athlete and a high-flyer. Coming out of college as a one-and-done prospect, he put spectacular numbers up at NC State before declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft.
One specific thing Smith was knocked for in the pre-draft process was the fact that he did not help lead his college team to many wins. Dennis was far and away the best player on that 2016-17 Wolfpack team, but NC State finished the season with just four conference wins and missed the NCAA tournament.
The discussions around Smith became a bit unfair, and General Managers began to doubt whether they should draft him. As a result, a player who was a potential top-five pick slipped to ninth. Dennis began his career with the Dallas Mavericks, but his playing time began to dwindle under Head Coach Tom Thibodeau in New York.
Soon, he found himself just looking for a spot in the league, even training to become an NFL defensive back before getting what was essentially his "one last chance" in the NBA with the Charlotte Hornets where he ultimately revived his career. Smith is now a reliable role player, and Phoenix should look to pick him up as a solid shooter and defender on the perimeter.