DALLAS -- Coach Rick Carlisle immediately reinserted Dennis Smith Jr. into the Dallas Mavericks' starting lineup after the second-year point guard's return from a midseason sabbatical Tuesday night.
Smith missed the previous six games, the first three officially because of back soreness and the other three because of what the team called an illness. However, Carlisle acknowledged on his weekly radio show Friday that "business stuff" was behind the absence of Smith, who sources say has been shopped in the trade market this season and would welcome a move.
Carlisle and Smith, who did not join the team on their recent two-game road trip, had a conversation over the weekend before agreeing on the plan for the point guard to come back for Tuesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.