The Mavericks added a low-cost depth piece on Monday, signing free agent wing Jett Howard to a two-way contract. Dallas cleared the roster spot earlier in the day by waiving forward Tyler Smith.
Howard arrives with first-round pedigree that hasn’t translated to production yet. A 6-foot-8 guard-forward and the son of former Michigan coach Juwan Howard, he was the No. 11 overall pick in the 2023 draft and spent his first three seasons with the Orlando Magic. He never locked down consistent rotation minutes there, and Orlando declined his fourth-year option last fall, sending him toward unrestricted free agency.
The numbers explain both the decline and the flicker of hope. Over his first two seasons, Howard averaged 3.8 points in 9.8 minutes a night while shooting poorly from the field and beyond the arc. He took a step forward in 2025-26, putting up 5.5 points on much sharper .418/.372/.949 shooting, including 37.2 percent from three. The playing time still didn’t follow, though, as he logged just 12.6 minutes across 55 games.
For Dallas, the terms make it a no-risk addition. Howard’s two-way deal pays $678,882 for 2026-27, half the rookie minimum, and he can be active for up to 50 of the team’s 82 regular-season games without a conversion to a standard contract. He joins John Poulakidis and Tobi Lawal in the Mavericks’ two-way group, giving the front office another young shooter to develop as the roster continues to take shape.
