DALLAS _ The prodigal son returned Tuesday, and if Dennis Smith Jr. didn't get the full fatted calf treatment, the Mavs didn't seem to harbor any hard feelings, either.
"We're happy to have him back," Rick Carlisle said.
Twice, in fact.
Whether the feeling is mutual is more difficult to say, and not just because DSJ isn't exactly effusive even in a good mood. He surely senses nothing's really changed since he went on hiatus last week.
But for Smith's future as well as the Mavs', it's up to him to make this reunion work, at least in the short term.
The trade deadline is still a couple weeks away, but it's not enough time for DSJ to restore his trade value. No matter what you heard last week, when everything blew up, no trade is imminent. The Mavs won't give him away, even if he's not a great fit with Doncic at the moment. For one thing, a possibility remains that he could grow into such a role the rest of this season.
And even if he doesn't, it's not like the Mavs are squandering a playoff run while waiting on their chemistry experiment.
Besides, bad fit or not, DSJ remains a terrific talent, and the Mavs shouldn't give up on those easily.
Look around their roster. Some really nice pieces. Just the same, it's mostly a bunch of complementary players. Of the starters, the only ones sure to be back next season are Doncic and, to a lesser extent, Harrison Barnes.
Yet it isn't necessarily a bad thing if the Mavs _ who'll be at least $50 million under the salary cap _ have to add multiple starters this summer.
Of course, they'd be better off if Smith could hang around. He's an explosive talent, as is obvious. He's improved as a shooter, and the Mavs need all of those they can get.
But at least they're not looking for a cornerstone to replace Dirk Nowitzki. The international consensus is that the Mavs, of all teams, found a generational player in the draft. LeBron James has already weighed in on the findings. So have fans, who've made him third in the All-Star voting. And then there was the input Tuesday morning from Doc Rivers, the Clippers' coach, who evoked the names Larry Bird and Magic Johnson when asked to describe Doncic's impact as a rookie.
All of the above is incredibly good news for the Mavs, but think it how it probably makes DSJ feel. Hard enough on any 21-year-old ego. Then consider Carlisle's admission Tuesday that the Mavs have two de facto point guards.
And unlike nearly all the point guards who preceded him, Luka doesn't get the Carlisle treatment.
Of the dozen or so point guards who've worked under Carlisle in Dallas, only J.J. Barea never seemed to mind. Carlisle wised up and gave the keys to Jason Kidd. The rest have had a harder time earning that kind of trust.
Doesn't necessarily mean Carlisle is wrong, because it's not a sterling list of point guards. The best made it work. Smith would do well to follow their example.
Of course, he'll have to make adjustments, which he was doing even before he left. By the way, it's not exactly clear who was at fault for that split. The Mavs didn't handle it well, but neither did Smith or his representatives.
As you might expect, Mark Cuban attempted to make the episode seem like no big deal. He's had three demanding coaches in Don Nelson, Avery Johnson and now Carlisle. He's also had players who have taken "sabbaticals," as he put it, only to stop himself, adding, "That's not the right word."
Yeah, well, we're not counting Lamar Odom. Smith is a high-profile player in his prime, one on which the Mavs spent the ninth pick of last year's draft.
And half-way through his second year, he walks out. Imagine the reaction if Zeke Elliott had done that to the Cowboys.
Fortunately for DSJ, he makes his profession in a player-driven league that tolerates what other sports might not. Even so, he surely must realize he's got no leverage now.
For whatever time he has left with the Mavs, he simply must try to get along with his head coach and grasp the reality of his situation, if for no other reason than to improve his trade value.
Because even though the Mavs are truly glad to have him back after his little hiatus, nothing's changed since he left. This is still Luka's team, to have and to hold, from this day forward. Not only that, he's the best man, too. DSJ better get used to it.
