Friday, February 17th, 2012 at 9:10 am  |  82 responses

JR Smith to Join the New York Knicks


UPDATE: JR Smith confirmed the signing on Twitter this morning: ”New York Knicks It Is!”

The immortal JR Smith, as expected, will soon be wearing a New York Knicks uniform. According to the NY Post, Smith will be at MSG for tonight’s game as a spectator: “The Knicks will officially add free agent reserve shooting guard J.R. Smith to Linsanity today, making the hottest team in the NBA a deep team as well. According to multiple sources, Smith, who played in China during the lockout and became eligible to sign an NBA deal on Wednesday, will be at the Garden tonight, but won’t make his debut until Sunday against the Mavericks. The Knicks have to cut a player to make room for Smith and Renaldo Balkman, who has been out of the rotation since early January, is the expected candidate, according to a source. Coach Mike D’Antoni was never a big fan of Balkman, a throw-in to the trade with the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony. Balkman has one remaining year at $1.8 million and could have been an amnesty casualty if the Knicks were still going for 2012 cap space.”

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  • http://cnbc.com JTaylor21

    The Grizz before last season missed the playoffs. If that’s the bar Knicks fans are reaching for…go right ahead.

  • Kadavour

    Ball stopper. Doesn’t play D. he should fit in FINE with Amar’e and Melo. Oh boy NY, we’re in for a wild ride.

  • stlheatmaniac

    welcome to Jack City!! u got Melo Jackin up shots and now u got Smith Jackin up shots! lol! Jack City B*** Jack Jack City B***

  • http://slamonline.com. datkid

    I could see the knicks getting eaten alive by a more cohesive defensive team… like the sixers or the pacers.

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    Pacers have crashed & burned, which honestly I predicted.

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com/ O

    Didn’t the Knicks already beat the Sixers WITHOUT a point guard?

  • http://Slamonline.com Kap

    @Eboy…the Knicks are actually a top ten ranked defense. It was their offense that was awful prior to Linsanity

  • http://Slamonline.com Kap

    Smith is not a bad defender either

  • Paul H

    Anyone see that TNT interview with Blake? Two points: First, The more I have seen him interviewed over the past two years the more I am resigned to the fact that Blake Is exceptionally dull. Second, If I have to hear Shaq talk about being the original son of jorel, or hear one more reference to superman, I am getting on the next flight to the states to hit him with something really hard when the bast*rd aint looking.

  • http://Slamonline.com Caboose

    This sounds like when the 76ers paired Webber with Iverson.

  • http://Slamonline.com Kap

    He dissed Jalen Rose last nite as well

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    Knicks are not a top tier Defense, stop that mess.

  • g-ryder

    im a big Knicks fan, but im not sure how this will play out. Smith can bring a lot of offense off of the bench. But he can also be a knucklehead. In Dantonis system this might work. Especially now that Mike Woodson got them playing Defense

  • shutup

    Gotta say Orange predicted this one right on the money. Its funny when people so vehemently disagree when an idea is presented, but as soon as it comes to fruition the same people are either nowhere to be found or conveniently forget. I can see three people in this thread that fit the latter and 2-3 that suspiciously ghost.

  • slamfan4life

    noooo, iwanted him on the clipps!!!

    Gluck to Smith tho

  • http://idunkonthem.blogspot.com albie1kenobi

    JR will have to come off the bench. all the players who have contributed significantly to the current win streak are actually above average defenders (shumpert, jeffries, fields, chandler), so if JR is part of the starting line up, the knicks will get killed on defense when the starters are in, and they won’t get any buckets when the bench are in.
    win-win situation!

  • http://nyill.wordpress.com/ O

    I’m pretty sure Antoni will throw in JR when Tyson, Jared and Shump are on the floor. NO WAY he throws him in there with Melo, Stat and Lin. Teams would score 80% field goals in the paint. When is Jorts coming back? He played tough in the paint too.

  • Donatello

    My first reaction was noooooooooooo

  • MrAir239

    JR can’t play good defense, tries too many circus shots/highlights, and overall isn’t benefiting the knicks whatsoever. He would benefit in a place like Minnesota, Charlotte, or any other currently rebuilding team because he could get the “green light” to do his thing. I think his game will suffer from all the knicks’ threats on offense. Coach Mike will probably be hard on him because his game is street-like. Not to say that JR sucks, I think he’s really good when hot and can dunk superbly. But, I just don’t see how this works out.

  • http://leipzig-eagles.de/ Speedy

    ‘Seven seconds or less system’ will create enough shots for everybody.
    But if they want to content in the postseason D’Antoni really has to mold a team defense that works. Will be hard.

  • str8 from samoa

    jr smith is da man haha

  • ChipS

    JR is not a bad defender when he wants to be. Same with Melo, when they see other guys buying in they buy in. Happened in Denver in 09. Everybody talks about JR being a ball stopper, I don’t see that. He ran the pick and roll with Nene and Birdman, he can do it with Tyson and Amare. I’ve never seen a chucker shoot 38.2% from three for his career and become a teams all time leader in three point field goals. His antics come in blowouts when his team are trying to show up the opponent. He’s had 2 games of 11 three’s made, one with 10 made, and one with 9. He can light it up. And to anyone who don’t believe the Knicks defense is better, look it up: Top 10 last time I checked, I think even Top 5. Can they keep it up? I think they can with Chandler,Jeffries,Shump,Fields, and when healthy Harrellson.

  • ChipS

    Here’s what I posted on the other Smith article about Jalen Rose and Shaq: Man, I wonder do Jalen Rose and Shaq got real beef. On the TNT halftime or pregame show(can’t remember which one), TNT showed a tweet by Jalen asking if Shaq will be able to close his suit jacket. Shaq seemed upset and mad and got defensive saying he didn’t know who Jalen Rose was, and said “If you shout my name at least be somebody” and the only guys he listen to on ESPN are Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. Later, Jalen tweeted, “Shaq has Superman emblems in his home like a clown plus TNT has sideshow silly segments to hide the fact that he can’t talk.” Ouch. Me personally I still prefer TNT over ESPN any day of the week. Will be interesting to see how this will play out. Jalen has since deleted the tweets.

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    Whenever I watch Shaq trying to fit in with Chuck & them, I cringe. The guy tries so hard but he doesn’t fit in there. He doesn’t know what he’s doing or saying.

  • ChipS

    Shaq is a classic case of someone who can dish it, but can’t take it. If its a fourth guy to be needed on the set its C-Webb or GP, Gary Payton.

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    C-Webb for sure.

  • retrobat

    I always feel like I’m watching an episode of “The Office” now whenever I watch TNT because every time Shaq opens his mouth, it’s awkward.

  • http://www.nba.com Red

    The office is actually funny, and awkward funny(except the episode where Michael did the Scott’s tots thing). TNT is depressing awkward once shaqs mouth opens.

  • @Deknowz

    So it boils down to Renaldo Balkman for J.R Smith, agree or not it’s not a hard choice for any team.

  • swiftyk

    Knicks are going to be nuts. Wow.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    Who should start–Shump or Fields? Both play extremely well with Lin, especially Fields. I don’t want to see Shump ever bring the ball up the floor ever again, but as a 2 guard he can be dangerous, and his defense is awesome. Shump should definitely close games out. Either way, whoever ends up sharing the floor with Smith in the second unit will suffer.

  • http://thetroyblog.com Teddy-the-Bear

    What was the worst thing about prison, Prison Mike?

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