Mavericks' Smith calls out The Process: What's fun about losing?

Dennis Smith Jr. does not Trust the Process.

The Dallas Mavericks rookie sounded off on the Philadelphia 76ers' run of consistent and deliberate on-court failure while playing video games with Markelle Fultz, who represents the club's latest reward for tanking.

Fultz: Philly is definitely the most fun.

Smith: What's fun about losing games? Like seriously, tell me what's fun about losing.

Fultz: Bro, the season didn't even start, bro.

Smith: Like what is fun about losing?

Fultz: Have you won one game in the NBA, sir?

Smith: Y'all ain't been doing nothing but losing, what's so fun about it?

Fultz: Have you won one game in the NBA, sir?

Smith: Right, it don't matter.

Fultz: Alright then.

Smith: Y'all didn't even win a summer league game.

Harsh, but it's true. Before last season, the 76ers submitted three straight sub-20-win campaigns under general manager Sam Hinkie, who insisted the losing was all part of the process and implored people to trust it. He parted ways with the team in 2016, and since then his replacement Bryan Colangelo has been working to assemble a more respectable roster.

The Sixers were better in 2016-17, especially for the 31 games in which center Joel Embiid saw the floor, but still missed the playoffs for the fifth consecutive campaign. They finished with the fourth-worst record in the NBA, which earned them yet another high pick that they traded up to select Fultz first overall.

With the former Washington star on deck, plus other recent lottery picks in Embiid and Ben Simmons as well as free-agent additions like J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson, Philadelphia appears to be reaping the rewards of Hinkie's process. The club is stronger now, at least on paper and barring injuries, and could finally make its return to the postseason, especially with the Eastern Conference weakening.

Meanwhile, Smith joins a team in the Mavs who seem to be on a downward trajectory as star Dirk Nowitzki nears the end of his Hall of Fame career. The 2011 champs failed to make the playoffs last season, and given their roster and competition in the wild West, that could very well happen again.

Fultz ended the back-and-forth with Smith by declaring that, at the very least, Philly has the best cheese steaks.

Fair enough.