Adam Zagoria covers basketball at all levels. He is the author of two books and an award-winning journalist whose articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Sports Illustrated, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide.
The Knicks appear ready to give Linsanity yet another weapon.
The Daily News reported Thursday that the Knicks are close to signing former Denver Nuggets and St. Benedict’s Prep shooting guard J.R. Smith, who has spent this past season in China.
The newspaper reported that Leon Rose, the agent for Smith and Carmelo Anthony, met with Knicks owner Jim Dolan Wednesday following the team’s seventh straight win over the Sacramento Kings.
The Knicks have the $2.5 million exception to give to Smith, 25, who recently scored 60 points in a Chinese League game, hitting 14 of 18 3-pointers.
“New York City is where it’s at,” Smith recently Tweeted.
He added that Anthony was “family” and called himself a “loyal dude” in reference to his roots in New Jersey.
“I know that [interim GM] Glen [Grunwald] every day will canvas the league and talk and try and make the team better whether it’s through the D-League, whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s through trades,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said recently. “Whatever makes sense and helps our team, we’re gonna do it.”
The Clippers, who recently signed former Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, are also involved with Smith.
In order to create roster space for Smith, the Knicks would have to release Renaldo Balkman, Mike Bibby or Toney Douglas.
Smith would give the Knicks a legitimate 3-point shooter and would probably mean drastically reduced playing time for shooter Steve Novak, who has come alive as a reserve while playing with Jeremy Lin.
Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who covers basketball at all levels. A contributor to The New York Times and SportsNet New York (SNY), he is also the author of two books and is an award-winning journalist and filmmaker. His articles have appeared in ESPN The Magazine, SLAM, Sheridan Hoops, Basketball Times and in newspapers nationwide. He also won an Emmy award for his work on the SNY mini-documentary on Syracuse guard Tyus Battle.
A veteran Ultimate Frisbee player, he has competed in numerous National and World Championships and, perhaps more importantly, his teams won the Westchester Summer League (WSL) championships in 2011 and 2013.
He lives in Manhattan with his wife and children.
The Knicks appear ready to give Linsanity yet another weapon.
The Daily News reported Thursday that the Knicks are close to signing former Denver Nuggets and St. Benedict’s Prep shooting guard J.R. Smith, who has spent this past season in China.
The newspaper reported that Leon Rose, the agent for Smith and Carmelo Anthony, met with Knicks owner Jim Dolan Wednesday following the team’s seventh straight win over the Sacramento Kings.
The Knicks have the $2.5 million exception to give to Smith, 25, who recently scored 60 points in a Chinese League game, hitting 14 of 18 3-pointers.
“New York City is where it’s at,” Smith recently Tweeted.
He added that Anthony was “family” and called himself a “loyal dude” in reference to his roots in New Jersey.
“I know that [interim GM] Glen [Grunwald] every day will canvas the league and talk and try and make the team better whether it’s through the D-League, whether it’s through free agency, whether it’s through trades,” Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni said recently. “Whatever makes sense and helps our team, we’re gonna do it.”
The Clippers, who recently signed former Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin, are also involved with Smith.
In order to create roster space for Smith, the Knicks would have to release Renaldo Balkman, Mike Bibby or Toney Douglas.
Smith would give the Knicks a legitimate 3-point shooter and would probably mean drastically reduced playing time for shooter Steve Novak, who has come alive as a reserve while playing with Jeremy Lin.
