By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Real Madrid and Dennis Smith Jr. have officially parted ways.
Los Blancos announced a mutual agreement to terminate their contract on Friday.
On Wednesday, the head coach of the storied club located in the capital of Spain, Chus Mateo, talked about the departure of the 27-year-old point guard. However, a similar confirmation by Madrid was pending.
Upon consultation with several NBA connections, including Madrid legend Luka Doncic, Smith made plenty of noise by signing with the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague outfit on January 16.
Expanding his career to Europe’s top-tier club continental competition was limited to two appearances with 4.0 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 0.5 steals per contest in the 2024-25 Regular Season. He added 1.5 points, 1.0 assists, and 0.5 rebounds per game in Spain’s Liga Endesa Regular Season. Between both leagues, he was featured in four team outings, playing a total of 35 minutes.
Despite the efforts detailed by Mateo, Smith struggled to adjust to his new surroundings and fit in with Madrid, leading to being excused from the Copa del Rey 2025 and eventually to the mutual decision for separation. He has already been linked to a return to the NBA.
Coming out of North Carolina State, the explosive floor general went ninth in the 2017 NBA draft. He went on to play in 326 games, spread from the Dallas Mavericks and the New York Knicks to shorter spells with the Brooklyn Nets, Charlotte Hornets, Portland Trail Blazers, and Detroit Pistons.
Photo Credit: ACB