The Dallas Mavericks announced over the weekend that three players have been released in preparation for the 2025-26 NBA regular season.
Dallas announced that guard/forward Dalano Banton, forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and guard Dennis Smith Jr. have been released from the team as it prepares for the upcoming regular season.
Banton played in just one preseason matchup for the Mavericks to begin the year, contributing three points while playing in only 5.8 minutes during his lone appearance.
Robinson-Earl saw significantly more time on the court for the Mavericks during the preseason, playing an average of 12.2 minutes per game during his four appearances while providing an average of 7.3 points and four rebounds per game.
However, Robinson-Earl was unlikely to see meaningful time on the court this season, as the Mavericks have multiple players at his position who are expected to receive minutes.
Meanwhile, Smith stands out as the most notable player to have been cut by the team, as the Mavericks’ former first-round draft selection was widely expected to have a chance to make the team’s official roster.
Smith struggled to find a rhythm during the Mavericks’ preseason, making just two appearances and averaging only 1.5 rebounds and 2 assists during his 7.4 minutes on the court per game.
Moving forward, Dallas could look to sign these players to two-way contracts, which would allow these players to remain with the franchise as members of the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ G-League affiliate team.
The franchise has not released any plans for these players to be signed to two-contract deals, indicating that these players will likely look for opportunities with other franchises.
Dallas followed these moves by announcing that the team had signed forward Matt Cross, center Jamarion Sharp, and guard Zhaire Smith, though all three players were released just hours after the deals were announced.
Dallas will now look to prepare for the beginning of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, with the team kicking off its year with a matchup against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday at 8:30 p.m.