Dennis Smith Jr. joins a list of prospects working out at the Sixers’ minicamp

Drew Smith
June 6, 2025
Sixers
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Dennis Smith Jr. is in Philly this week, working out for the Sixers as part of their two-day veteran minicamp.

Smith, now 27, was once a big-time prospect. The No. 9 pick in the 2017 Draft, Dennis SMith Jr. was considered a freak athlete out of NC State with highlight-reel hops and a sky-high ceiling but things never fully clicked.

The jumper didn’t come around (career 29.8% from three), and he bounced around the league trying to find a fit. He played for Dallas, New York, Detroit, Portland, Charlotte, and Brooklyn — appearing in 326 NBA games.

Smith has carved out a bit of a new identity as a tough, defensive-minded guard. He’s leaned into his tools on that end of the floor, becoming a legit point-of-attack pest. Still, he didn’t even play in the league last season. He went unsigned after a solid year in Brooklyn but clearly, teams like the Sixers (bad ones) still see value in what he brings.

The Sixers’ minicamp has a wide range of names, per Keith Pompey:

Eugene Omoruyi, Malcolm Hill, Adama Sanago, Alondes Williams, Malik Williams, Armando Bacot, Javonte Cooke, Judah Mintz and Leaky Black are some of the participants, according to sources. https://t.co/gyNjg1kEq8
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) June 5, 2025

Dennis Smith Jr.
Judah Mintz
Eugene Omoruyi
Malcolm Hill
Adama Sanogo
Alondes Williams
Malik Williams
Armando Bacot
Javonte Cooke
Leaky Black

Smith’s path to sticking with the Sixers would clearly be as a defensive backup guard, a guy who can hound opposing ball handlers and give you some athletic juice off the bench. Shooting still limits his role, but for a team that struggled with perimeter defense, you’d be an idiot to not take a closer look.

If he defends and plays with energy, you can easily find room on the Sixers roster. Just keep expectations realistic — this is a low-risk flier, not a needle-mover. But given how soft the Sixers’ guard rotation was last year on defense, I don’t mind kicking the tires.