The Miami Heat have reached an agreement with Dennis Smith Jr., but the veteran guard’s path could lead back to the organization’s G League affiliate before it leads to an NBA roster spot.
Chris Haynes reported Sunday that Smith had agreed to a deal with Miami, citing the guard’s agent, Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports. Haynes added that the Heat had followed Smith throughout the summer.
Free agent guard Dennis Smith Jr. has reached a deal with the Miami Heat, his agent Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports tells me. The Heat have been monitoring the former lottery pick very closely all summer. pic.twitter.com/6Tb4NenHJm
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) September 27, 2026
The details that followed put the agreement in perspective. The planned contract is an Exhibit 10 deal, and the signing will take place later. Smith will also miss the beginning of camp.
Sioux Falls is his likely destination. There’s a chance he earns a place with Miami, but Heat have have yet to commit a regular-season job to him.
What Dennis Smith Jr.’s reported Heat deal allows
There are two possible outcomes: Smith could earn a standard deal through his preseason performance, or Miami could waive him before the regular season and have him continue with the Skyforce. Smith would receive $91,000 if he spends 60 days with the affiliate.
If Smith impresses during preseason, his Exhibit 10 can be converted to a standard contract.
The other option is for Heat to cut Smith before start of regular season and transition him to Sioux Falls. He would get $91,000 guarantee if he spends 60 days with Heat G League team. https://t.co/B03h3gFGl6
— Anthony Chiang (@Anthony_Chiang) September 27, 2026
That payment is conditional on the G League stay. It should not be read as confirmation that Smith has secured a season on Miami’s NBA roster.
For the Heat, the appeal of the arrangement is the opportunity to evaluate a familiar player before deciding whether he warrants an NBA place. For Smith, the challenge is to turn the agreement into a role that survives the end of preseason.
Smith’s Skyforce stint gives Miami something concrete to evaluate
Smith already has experience inside the organization. The Skyforce acquired him from the available player pool on Jan. 22, following a stint with the Wisconsin Herd during the 2025-26 season.
Smith averaged 8.2 points, 4.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game across 21 regular-season appearances for Sioux Falls in 2025-26. The team also described his work helping younger teammates develop professional habits and understand plays.
The assist production provides a basketball reason to take another look. A reserve guard can help an offense by getting teammates into their actions and delivering the ball, even when he is not supplying much scoring himself.
Smith’s Sioux Falls numbers give Miami a recent sample of that contribution rather than leaving the evaluation dependent on his earlier NBA career. There are limits to what those averages establish.
G League production alone cannot show that he will improve an NBA lineup, and an assist average does not settle questions about turnovers, shooting or defensive matchups. Those remain part of the evaluation before Miami could commit minutes to him.
The background is substantial, though. Dallas selected Smith ninth overall in the 2017 draft, and he earned All-Rookie Second Team recognition after averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game in his first NBA season.
His reported agreement follows the recent discussion of D’Angelo Russell as a possible option for Miami. That discussion stemmed from Winderman’s recommendation; the Smith development includes a reported agreement and specific contract terms.
The next step is the signing itself. Until then, the clearest expectation from Sunday’s reporting is a later arrival, with an NBA opportunity still to be earned and a return to Sioux Falls a possibility.
